Wavesong
by Olivecat
Summary: Hal was not planning on picking up a strange girl on the Heron's maiden voyage but he has and she is dragging him and the herons into her own messes Like Hal does not have enough problems of his own. Book 2 and 3 spoilers.
1. Stranger

The last thing I remember is slamming into a rock in a storm. Lovely memory. I shiver and look around the tall pine trees are so different from the fruit and maple trees I am so use to. The ground is wet and sticks to my boots. This is so different from my home islands.

I guess I should tell you who I am. My name is Kira wavesong and I am sixteen. I come from an island nation that few know about that is at the edge of the known world. Every time a ruler comes to power in Araluan or Skanda we sail and make a new treaty. We ask to be left alone and in return we give some of our technology. See because we are isolated we are much more advanced with more efficient boats and great resources we don't have to fight over and because we look mostly like Araluans we can come and go without being noticed. I was part of the group that was coming to Skanda to make a new treaty with the new Orberjarl Erak. I was scouting ahead to make sure there were no pirates when a squall came up and dashed my small boat to pieces and slamming me into that rock, close to the Skandians' main city or town or whatever. Now I have nothing but my life vest, whistle, bow, and sailing clothes.

Now that you know my situation you can understand my problem I can't just go to the town they probably all knew each other and would know I'm not a native even though I speak common fluently as a native. I stand on a rock overlooking the sea. And watch it. "Kaprie or whatever god watches over this part of the great sea guide and aid me in returning to my people." It would be another week at least possibly longer for the rest of the group to reach the main town and that was without stops. I still and watch as a boat that is like a rough version of a (insert ship name) sailed by. It is different but similar to our own design. I wave and the skipper or person steering the boat brings it close. "Can I get a ride to the town nearest here?"

The boy in back calls out "the nearest town is Hallashom."

"Fine, I can swim out to you."

"You can swim? And in this water?"

I had sailed here in a tiny boat with no lower deck and a deck only a foot above the sea and then I washed up on the shore after hitting a rock. I think I can deal with the water. I don't say that instead I simply replied "I can manage." And to prove my point I jump off the rock and efficiently swim to the boat and am hauled aboard by two large boys or young men they all are about my age. And they won't stop staring even the skipper who had to yell out suddenly for the sail to be trimmed as they were losing wind. I studied the sail arrangement so as to ignore the boys staring at me the sail that was up looked pretty normal but then they also had a second sail lying on the ground opposite the raised sail. Hadn't they ever heard of a goose neck (1)?

Hal's POV

I saw a movement on the coast and saw a person waving I sailed as close to the shore as possible and allowed the person to get a ride after all it was only one boy and there were eight of us. I was surprised when he claimed he would swim to us and that's what he did. As Stig and Ingvard hauled the boy on deck I forgot about keeping us on course because the new comer was not a boy but a girl. She had dark hair and tanned shin she looked like an Araluan but slightly different she had almost feline shaped eyes and long lashes and her form was easy to see through her wet clothes. She wore the strangest clothes close fitting breaches and boots and a thick belt holding a sax knife and small pouch hung. She wore a thick padded vest that cut off at her mid rift and had two straps over her shoulders with a small breast pocket it was brightly dyed orange and under it she wore a dark long sleeve shirt made of the same material as her breaches that end at her palm with a slit for her thumbs she also wore light gloves that fitted her small hands closely. She also wore the strangest bow on her back it looked to be made of metal with three strings and it was strapped to her back securely. She ignored us choosing to study our sails instead. "What's your name?"

"I am Kira Wavesong." She sounded like an Araluan but she couldn't be the Araluans would not bring a woman with them and she did not dress like an Araluan.

"I'm Hal. This is the heron and that's Stig, Jesper, Wulf and Ulf, Ingvard, Stefan, and Edvin. We are taking the Heron on her first voyage."

"You don't have reefs (Is that how you spell it?) on your sail what will you do if there is a storm?"

I looked at Stig in surprise what girl knew about reefs? "We are going to put them on soon." This seemed a good answer for the girl who simply thanked us for giving her a ride. "No problem but if you don't mind me asking Miss Wavesong why you were out in the wilderness."

"Just call me Kira and I was ship wreaked and hit my head on a rock so I lost track of where I was."

I studied her she looked like she had been banged up slightly but if she was shipwrecked why was she the only person. It seemed that there were a lot of gaps in her story.

I returned my attention to the heron and calculated the angle needed to get through the cliffs feeling a bit of pride at my boat. Okay a lot of pride but what can I say. I glanced over at Kira she stood like an experienced sailor with her legs spread slightly apart. Who was she?

"Hal shouldn't we lower the sails?" Stig pointed out

"We can make it." I replied steadily

"What about the Wolfwind?"

Crap forgot about the oberjarl's ship that messed up my plans but I could beach next to the ship.

"Tell the others to be ready to row"

"And the girl?"

"The Girl is right here and I will stay out of the way. I have been on ships before you know."

Hi I know I should be working on my other stories but this has been annoying me for a long time. So I am posting it. I don't know what boat Hal has so bear with me anyone who knows review! Or if you don't know still review. I am not going to cover the whole first book maybe do a few short one shots then pick up where book one ends. Have not read any other book except book one.

(1) Gooseneck is a sort of hinge that allows a sail to move up and down and left to right it is on most triangle sails and is attached to the boom and mast.

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything except Kira everything else belongs to Flanagan.**


	2. Betting

Sometime during early brother band training

Hal pov

I sigh it had been an exhausting day sword drills all afternoon I was ready to collapse. I had seen Kira flit around the area watching us train. She had become a part of the band. She would join us in training when we were out of sight of the other bands and Sigurd. And often hung around with us during free time though she never helped us do the work or cheat for us.

"Swords are heavy"

I whipped around there she was dressed in some of Edvin's clothes her hair bound back and the strange bow on her back. She had pushed the sleeves up to her elbows showing part of the graceful black tattoo that she had on her left arm, an eye catching matrix of black lines curving and spiraling down her arm. My heart jumped for a second probably from surprise that she had been that close. "What would you know about swords?" I asked. Kira had proven herself to be a great fighter in her own right attacking targets when we were too tired to fight her ourselves. We rarely won she was a dangerous knife fighter and her skill with the bow could rival that of the mysterious rangers.

"Not much. Not my favorite weapon. Though I have fought sword fighters before. The trick is to outlast them most use all their power to end the fight fast and then if you get past the first few hits you can finish one of easily." She walked up to me and turned so she was facing the clearing where the rest of the herons were laughing at Jesper antics. I followed her gaze and we stood in companionable silence. Kira started to softly sing under her breath in a language I did not know "καιρό έχω ταξιδέψει αυτές τις μεγάλες θάλασσες του περισσότερο για την καρδιά μου είναι εδώ….."

"What language is that?"

"Oreek my native tongue." I had known she was not Araluan but I thought she would at least be from somewhere I could pronounce.

"Oleek?"

"OR-eek" she corrected "It is a very distant land" And at this her eyes lost focus.

"Then why are you here in Skanda?" She had never answered this question and I felt bad about taking advantage of her when she was like this.

"I was scouting ahead to check for pirates. I was maybe two days away though it would have taken my people several weeks to catch up going their normal pace when I was forced off course by a bad squall. It pushed me so far I could see the coast of Skanda. I tried to sail to the coast, to take shelter in a cove or inlet but was flung from the boat and slammed against a rock. When I woke up I wandered around for a day before I found you sailing by." I stared at her. She had been through all that and said it like it was nothing. "I thank Shega the dolphin goddess every day for protecting me and sending you to me." She smiled at me then and I smiled back she was really pretty and could beat me up I told myself harshly but I couldn't help from asking

"You have a dolphin Goddess?"

"Shega is the goddess of dolphins who are known to help drowning sailors from time to time and protect shipwrecked sailors."

"The Dolphins protect?" She laughed and lightly punched me on the arm.

"No Shega does." I decided to stop questioning her religion before she hit me for real.

We lapse into silence and Kira removed her quiver and bow. The bow was quite strange it had four squareish rods forming the arms. Two on each side. At the top and bottom two circular disks like pulleys held the string which had been looped so there were three strings. One string had treads raped around it so the arrow fit more snugly. It was dull green blending in with the foliage. The arrows were like any I had seen. It was heavy though both in actual weight though it should have been much heavier and in draw weight. I could barely pull back a string and defiantly not with the grace Kira could. She had told me the bows were metal because they held up better against the salt water and the foul conditions of the oceans. That was another strange thing she talked as if there were many oceans and we were only in one of them.

I finally broke the silence "Where are your people now? The ones on the ship I mean?"

She looked so sad and concerned I awkward pulled her into a hug. "I don't know." She whispered. "They should have come weeks ago and...And..." She had latched on to my tunic and she looked scared. Without the bow and knife or the strange clothes she still kept, and the tattoo she looked like a normal 16 teen year old girl. This was a side I had never seen. She was always strong and, beautiful. Kira was a good leader and I know the Herons look to her almost as a second command and definably as a sister. She keeps a level head and is not afraid to voice her ideas and fight for them but she was not overbearing and had time for everyone. She never got truly mad though she would yell at the twins from time to time or snap at someone if they got too much for her but that was rare and not often. Mostly she just went with the flow letting it take her where it wanted.

…

Herons

Jesper grinned as everyone around him laughed at his ridiculous stories full of big arm movements and strange sound effects. The only people missing were Hal and Kira. "Who wants to bet Hal and Kira are out there" Pointing into the forest, "together?"

"Of course they are together. They are always talking." One of the twins said.

"No I mean as in more than that. More than as friends."

"Uh Jesper unless you have coin we got nothing to bet with." Stig said

"We have camp duties." Edvin suggested

"Okay who ever bets are correct only have half their duties. We don't want them to be on to us so we have to be doing something." Stefan said to general agreement.

"I bet they will not be doing anything other than talking in the forest right now." Edvin said

"We already know what I bet." Jesper declared.

"Bet they kiss with in the week." Wulf said

"Bet they don't." Ulf shot back.

"I bet she will hit him if he does." Everyone looked at Stefan. "What? She punched one of the sharks when he tried to flirt with her."

"That was a shark." Ingvard pointed out "And I think he will take her to his mum's tavern within a month."

"I think this is a bad idea but I say they will stick together even after brother band is over." Stig put in finally.

Well let's go see what they are doing" Jesper said

"Wait! We can't all go. Kira will definably hear us and Hal probably will too."

"I'll go. This part of the bet has nothing to with me so I am impartial." Stefan spoke up. Everyone agreed and Stefan slipped as quietly as possible through the woods. Crouching behind a bush he looked through and saw Hal hugging Kira who had her face buried in Hal's shoulder. They were just standing there oblivious to the world. Stefan turned and quietly crept back to the camp.

"Well?" Jesper demanded

"They were hugging and Kira had her face in Hal's shoulder and Hal was just holding her and was just looking at her." A few wolf whistles and cat calls rang in the clearing and Japer looked trumpet. He turned to Edvin

"Guess who has extra duties tomorrow."

Wow chapter 2 done already. Well that's what you get when you faint during 2nd period and get to skip the rest of school. Please review and I hope to be updating soon I plan to put all of my small attention left over into this to try and get it done though it is nowhere near done. Please review!

Olivecat

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything except Kira everything else belongs to Flanagan.**


	3. Not how I wanted to spend the Day pt1

Month later

Kira's pov

I stumbled crashing into something I couldn't see more than flashes and of those flashes I could not make sense of what I was seeing I couldn't stand up straight. Time was a foreign concept I couldn't remember when this started it could have been years it could have been seconds.

What had triggered it? I couldn't remember. I felt great fear and the unexplainable need for water. Water I need water. The word ran around my head but I didn't know where it was or where it could be.

I couldn't see. I stumbled and crashed into another tree and I felt it with my hand pushing off it. I stumbled and fell to my knees in the ankle high snow. Snow. Snow was water my brain made the connection and I scooped it up and in to my mouth not caring that it made my teeth ache.

Already I felt the dizziness fading and my eyesight returning I stubbed to my feet and nearly fell over, my eyesight was gone again, I straightened myself. Some stupid thing like lack of eyesight or unsteadiness was going to stop Kira Wavesong.

I stumbled through the forest somehow finding my way to the camp. I blinked my eyesight and brain working together for a moment and nearly fell on my back. I was in the sharks' camp! I had to get away. I stumbled away and moved in another direction. Why was I even more scared? I felt like I should remember something important about the fear and was it came from. It couldn't all be from the fact that I was blind and dizzy. I stumbled into another camp that's right I had walked into the sharks' camp that was why I was sooo….so what? A boy came out of the cabin. He approached me. "You okay?" I collapsed. I didn't have the strength to stand any longer.

"Hal? Water! Hal I need water." Even in my state I knew I seemed crazy. I was trying to get control but I was so tired.

"Gorlog's loincloth! Rolland come quick and get Hal from the herons there's a girl asking after him and I think she's mad."

My head is pressed against the ground and I open my eyes have they been shut this whole time? Time? Where am I? Why am I on the ground? Who are these people? I don't call out to Hal again it was a mistake. He could get in trouble. I hear the sound of feet crunching through the snow. "Who is she?"

Rolland. I recognized his voice. I was in the wolf camp not good though better than the sharks. Why had I been in the shark camp?

"I don't know she just stumbled in and collapsed calling for Hal and water."

"Dell go get Hal. Maybe he can explain things. Now who are you?" This was addressed to me and I lifted my head off the ground I swayed and my vision started to go again. The boy who had found me tentatively put his arm out to steady me and I looked Rolland in the eyes and said as strongly as I could "I am Kira" I wasn't going to tell them my last name that was clear. Rolland crouched down so we were almost eye to eye.

"How did you get here?"

"I assume I walked." And there was my wit so I guess face planting did me some good.

"No. How come you are in our camp?"

"If I knew that I would have not come." Rolland looked annoyed

"Stop talking in riddles girl."

"A threat?"

"No I want a straight answer."

"And I want to think strait so I guess we are in the same boat." That gave me a lot of odd looks maybe it was the saying or the fact that I had admitted that I was crazy.

"Are you mad?"

"You know many people ask me that and I can't fathom why." Hal hurry up and get here I am not going to be able to hold myself together for much longer. I was losing it again. Rolland was getting frustrated. Dell and Hal magically appeared out of nowhere.

"Kira!" Hal yelled startling all the wolves.

"Hey Hal. Can't someone get me some δεκάρα water?"

"I am assuming that was a swear." a boy said

"This one's real bright." I said sarcastically a good defense is a better offence.

"What happen to her?" Hal sounded angry but I was losing the battle

"Hal" I said drawing attention to myself again

"I think she about to fall over again." I felt arms scoop me up and didn't have the energy to feel anything beyond a little fear of what was coming next never mind embarrassment.

"I will take her home." I felt the voice through my side as Hal spoke he must have been the one to pick me up. Had I ever been down? I think so. I felt better with Hal holding me.

"Not alone, I'm coming too." I think that was Rolland but I couldn't tell I finally let go and dropped out of conscious.

Hal's Pov

Dell suddenly burst out of the trees into our camp I looked up from where I had been sorting out the twins.

"There's some girl asking about you in the camp you better come quickly. I think she's mad."

I leapt up Kira? She would be the only girl who would ask about me but why was she at the wolves' camp? She did not like to socialize with the other Skandians.

"Bring me to her. You lot stay here." I told the other herons.

Dell turned and ran into the trees and I followed we arrived in time to here Kira say

"You know many people ask me that and I can't fathom why." She was sitting surrounded by the wolves Rolland crouched in front of her and a boy holding her shoulders as she sat in the snow. I yelled her name she was pale and had scratches on her face and she looked tired. She saw me and then asked for water swearing in Oreek and confusing everyone. I walked forward and the boy who had supported her moved away. I was angry did the wolves do something to her? Why was no one helping her? I asked what happen but no one gave me a good answer. I scooped her up I would bring her back to the herons. She did not look good what little color she had was gone and she looked ready to go to sleep. Then to my surprise Rolland said he would go with me alone. We left the camp making our way back to the Herons camp.

"Where are we going?"

"My camp."

"Doesn't she have a home?"

"Rolland she not from here. She just lives in the forest and occasionally gives us extra meat if she brings down a larger kill."

"Then how do you know her?"

"Found her when we were sailing and gave her a ride." We reached the camp and the boys all leapt to their feet as they saw me come in with Kira in my arms and Rolland behind me.

"Kira!"

"What happen?"

"Who did this was it the Wolves?"

"Hal she's injured. Look"

The last one was Edvin and he was right. Kira at some point had torn part of her pant leg and used it as a bandage around her calf. I quickly set her down on a log and pulled the cloth away revealing a gash two inches long and half an inch at its widest point. The cloth, boot and her leg were crusted with dried blood. Suddenly Kira lashed out and flipped in the strangest way I couldn't even begin to understand how and landed in a crouch. "Kira you are okay. Can you tell me what happen?" I asked in a soothing voice slowly approaching as if she were a wild creature and in some ways she was wild. A look of intense confusion was on her face and she said quietly

"I don't remember. Hunting had been tough with the extra hunters around so I was hungry when I slipped and fell. I tore a gash in my leg and bandaged it up I thought I was fine but later I started losing my sight I must have seen something because I found my way back to a camp it ended up being the sharks camp so I got out of there and found the wolves camp. You probably know the rest better than me."

"When did you last eat?" that was Ingvard

"Two days ago, maybe. Can I have some water?"

"Sure. Stig get some we need to take her to my mother. Kira can you walk?" I asked her.

"Yes." she dragged herself to her feet swaying slightly but when Stig came with water she drank it up and she seemed to recover though I was not going to let her go far from my side.

We set off through the woods but Kira was lagging clearly losing it again from too much movement. Finally I scooped her up it had been stupid of me to let her walk. She protested. "I can walk on my own."

"No you can't."

"Yes I can."

"No you can't."

"Yes I can."

"No you can't."

"Yes I can."

"No you can't."

"You carry me through Hallasholm and I will….ευνουχίζω you."

I saw jasper out of the corner of my eye say to Rolland "They argue like an old couple."

"What language are you speaking?" Rolland asked looking between Kira and me.

"My home tongue." She snapped back not in a great mood

"What did you say?" Ulf questioned.

"If I knew the common equivalent I would say it in that. I was not taught swears in common."

"Well you won't have to do that because my mother's tavern has a back door and is close to the forest. We just slip in." I told her.

"Why not go to a healer?" Rolland asked.

"It's not safe and it's a bad idea." Kira replied in a tone that made it final. We brought her into the tavern without any one seeing us and then brought her to my old pallet.

"You stay here till my mother is done for the night. You should go back one person missing is less noticeable than a whole brother band and another brother bands skirl." the others looked ready to protest but Rolland spoke up and ordered everyone out.

Hi! Here is chapter three!

I know some people are wondering about Kira's language if anyone is actually reading this. It is Greek which I thought was fitting because of Kira's origins which you will learn about later. The whole thing with Kira was that she had not eaten and then got injured this is something that can happen. And often water and putting your head below your heart can help greatly. In other words Kira was fainting and was trying to fight it off. Please review if you do I will cry and be so happy. And I hope to have the next part up by Saterday.

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything except Kira everything else belongs to Flanagan.**


	4. Not how I wanted to spend the Day pt2

Wow this is now more than double any other story I have written. Thank you Guest for reviewing. Please continue to review. I have also realized that I have made Kira look weak and so this chapter will hopefully remedy that because she is strong just not when she is blinded by blood lost. I have also forgotten where Hal slept so I am making an assumption.

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything except Kira everything else belongs to Flanagan.**

**Kira's pov**

Waking up in a new place is starting to become normal not that it wasn't before all this happened.

What happened? I lay still keeping my breathing even. I had perfected this when I was a child pretending to be asleep so my nurse would leave me to read or move freely in the night. Now it was a necessity I could not allow the people to know I was awake before I could assess the situation. Which by the way smells like Hal. Both figuratively and literally. I mean the pillow I'm laying on smells like him. That makes me feel better maybe Hal is nearby, but I can't hear anyone in the room though there must be people nearby because I hear a lot of noise.

I hear no one coming and decide it is safe to move. Getting up I realize I'm wearing nothing. I look around I am in a small room full of drawings and tools but someone has placed clothes at my side I pull on underwear and a dress that is a little big and grin clearly Hal is around because under the dress is a pair of his trousers. I long ago started wearing the smaller Herons clothes when my own needed to be washed. They were less comfortable about it than me at the time. I pull them on under the dress at least now I feel like if I need to I can run. I run my fingers through my hair getting it to be less matted and give the illusion that I owned some form of comb. Studying the room I see boots set next to the door and pull them on again they are Hal's. I normally would not mind going bare foot but the winter can be dangerous and I don't want to lose toes should I have to get away from this place.

I walk out of the room into a lit hall. It looks to be an inn stairs lead down to the noise. I slip down quietly blending into the shadows as much as possible with this red dress on. Definably a tavern. How did I get here? Then I see Hal come out carrying dishes of food to the patrons and then go into a door way. I follow moving through the people without drawing attention I avoid the drunken men at all cost.

A woman works filling tankers and cooking dishes with Hal helping her. Hal goes out and I hear her tell him the dishes go to the men in the left corner by the door I see him go to the table next to the door. I see her pull off a pot of soup and I dart forward taking it from her and ladling it into the bowls already set up for it. I feel her jump slightly as I do so realizing another person is in the kitchen but from the way I move I know she can tell I want to help. "Fill the tankers as Hal says it don't matter what you put in just stop before it over flows." I nod and start filling tankers as Hal comes in.

"Kira you're okay."

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be though I can't remember where I am. Is this your mother's tavern?"

"Yes. Can you fill this with half water and half beer?"

"Sure" I fill it up and pass it back. We fall into that easy rhythm until Hal's mother tells us to stop we stop serving after seven.

We head up to the room I had slept in Hal's mother closing the door and lighting the bedside candle.

"Now I am Katrina Hal's mother you're at my inn. Can you tell us what happened?"

"I was hunting which has been a bit hard since the brother bands have been doing the same." I don't look at them just down I had shown I was weak. "I couldn't find any food even the plants where dead. I was scavenging around when I got cut on a rock on my leg. The hunger must have messed with my head because I didn't treat it right. I was so set on finding food. But then I stated to go blind I can't remember much of that time I was so tired but I do remember stumbling into the sharks camp before I got to the wolves camp."

"Why didn't you come to us if you needed food? The brother bands get a small food allowance as well as what they catch. We could have helped. You have given us loads of stuff."

"It's hard for me. I'm not use to admitting I was having trouble it's not something a...It's not something that a person like me does."

"Then who are you?" Hal's mother asked quietly.

"Μια ευγενής." I murmur

"What?"

"I'm a proud person."

"I knew that already. Anyways your leg is fine you will stay here the night and after that if you wish you may stay here." Katrina offered.

"That is very kind but I don't want to be a burden."

"You won't be."

I thought about it and then I jerked out of my lucid state "My bow!"

"Is fine you carried it all the way to the wolves' camp and it is safe in my cabin." Hal put in he knew how much I loved that bow. It had been a gift from my family before my first real sea trip. I could barely draw it back then.

"Well I have to go don't be long Hal has to get back to his camp and you girl need rest." Katrina declared getting up and walking out. I like her.

"What did you say? In Oreek I mean."

"I said I was a proud person with a swear in it. Didn't think your mum would appreciate it."

"Probably not. Will you teach me Oreek?"

"Maybe tomorrow or whenever I leave."

"Will you stay?"

"Maybe. I probably help for the next few days at least but I like being out in the forest."

"Where you go hungry and run around the forest like a mad woman." I snort at that.

"Not so much as a mad woman as a crazed girl. Besides if I stay here long people will notice especially the wolves. Rolland probably thinks something is between us already" we both laugh at that and it's good to laugh. It been a long time since I laughed like this back when I was home and my friends and I would run through the city causing trouble and exploring everything.

"Well I best get going before Sigurd notices I am gone." Hal says getting up. "I'll keep your stuff safe in our cabin."

"Thanks! Bye!"

"Bye"

"Είθε ο Θεός να γεμίσει πανιά σας και να σας προστατεύει από Sigurd." I whisper smiling after him.

Hi

The last phrase basically said let a god fill your sail and protect you from Sigurd.

If you want to look up the Greek words be my guest but I warn you some of the words give big clues as to who Kira is when she is not stranded on a foreign land. This including author notes is 22 pages long. 5 of which are just this chapter. I also have finals coming up so don't expect to hear from me until February. Hopefully sooner.

Olivecat


	5. Girl Power

Kira Pov

I grin pumping my legs and arms I run leaping and bouncing off things bounding through the knee deep snow, finding the most efficient and quickest way through the forest. I'm not being chased. I am just running for the joy of it. This is what I loved doing. The only things I love more are the sea and my family. I falter, my sister was one of the ambassadors coming to make the treaty. They had not come and it is almost the New Year. It is the dead of winter. I continue to run, leaping over rocks and running along fallen trees. I'm nearing the Heron's camp and decide to stop by. Hal has been struggling to learn Oreek since I had gotten injured. He is making progress but it is slow going. He has a lot to do already. I slow as I approach the camp. Looking around for anyone not normally at the camp or in the forest but there is no one not even a Heron. I make myself comfortable in the cabin pulling out the papers Hal had bought so I could teach him to read and write Oreek. I start writing a simple message όπου ήσουν; Ήρθα και δεν ήσουν εδώ. Θα επιστρέψει κατά τη διάρκεια της νύχτα σας γεύμα. Πείτε πουλί όταν βλέπεις δίπλα μου. I slip the papers in his bed and then pull out my sewing. I don't love sewing but if I am to help Karina in the tavern I need to have a dress. I also am doing this dress because my sister and I make each other dresses for the New Year and even though she won't be here I still do it as a way to remember her. I know she would-will do the same. _She's not dead Kira you would know if she was_ I tell myself. The dress is pretty. Made of deer skin a luxury at home but a common thing here. I sit on Ingvard's bed. The boys' cabin has become a storage place for me. I leave things I don't want to get destroyed here and they hide them in a hole in the floor under where they sleep. I stop. I can hear people moving around. Carefully I push the dress in Ingvard's bed and crouch in the shadows of the cabin. The voices are not familiar and definably are not the Heron's. I quietly squeeze through a gap between the canvas and the post and climb a tree in the forest. I pull my bow off my back and grab an arrow. I can see them now, from the look of it three of the sharks have decided to mess with the Heron's camp. How does no one notice they are gone? Tursgud is among them poking at the camp. I grin as I knock an arrow and draw back one leg wrapped around the tree trunk the other around the branch I am on. The bow becomes easier to draw and I hold back without any trouble carefully aiming before letting fly. The arrow flies and takes off Tursgud's helmet I get to my feet ready to leap to another tree.

"Ahhhhhhhh who just shot that! Find him!"

"I think you mean her." I whisper as I jump to another tree. The branches shake I am glad the leaves are all dead. The Sharks abandon the camp in favor of finding the archer. I drop down and land with a quiet thud but someone must have seen me because I hear yells. I take off running through the forest. I'm not worried, they can't catch me I have a head start and am a fast runner.

We keep running for a while Tursgud in the lead. I'm quickly getting board of this and decide to fight. They are all tired from running and have not been training as long as I have. I am glad of my cape it hides my features and makes me look like a boy. I slow letting them get closer. Seeing this, the boys put even more energy into running. Only to get kicked in the face. I lash out at the one to my right punching him in the stomach and turning just as the other raised his fist. I block and throw him into his friend who had gotten punch in the face. They crumple. Now only Tursgurd is left. He held his nose as it bled. Good luck explaining that to Sigurd. I simply walk over to him and push on a pressure point in his neck he crumples groaning next to his crones. If there was one thing I hated it was a bully. I turn and walk away. I climb a tree and return to the Heron's camp where I continue sewing till the boys come back. Hal reads the note and says "πουλί? Really you told me to say bird." I shrug it is just a random word that meant he understood what I said.

"So Kira, do anything exciting today?" Jesper ask.

I shrug again. "No. Not really. Where were you today?"

"Well we had this trip and I …." I grin as Jesper starts his tale.

**Hi everyone. Had a spare half-hour so I wrote this short thing. Reading over my other chapter I kept wincing. I need to proof read more or get a beta. Anyone who is interested PM me! Well anyways got a sore throat again. Have a good evening and review!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything except Kira everything else belongs to Flanagan.**

**Olivecat **


	6. Cold nights

I smile as I stand on the cliff overlooking the sea. This was the place had first met the herons. I turn and walk along an invisible path to a cove full of rocks and blink. Beached and in dire need of repair is Dire Wolf my 420 that I thought had been destroyed. I scramble down to her. The canvas is gone, and the bolts holding the mast snapped, but the hull made of a special type of glass appears undamaged. I climb on. It is amazing that the boat is in such great shape considering the fact it has been here for five

moons.

I clear out the crap that has accumulated in the cockpit and then push the boat into the water it floats and I push the mast on to the boat and jump on. The oar left in the boat is still here and I start paddling to the heron's old dock.

I got there after night had fallen and so pulled furs together and curled up in Dire Wolf to spend a cold night. Suffice to say I got little sleep.

I wake with the sun stretching my stiff muscles and climb to my feet. Time to find Hal. I look at the wreak that had once been one of my favorite boats. Dire Wolf an appropriate name. I start the long walk to the boys' cabin. I walk in as the boys gather for breakfast and I sit down with them. They all nod same as we have been doing for the last five moons.

"Hal do you have free time today?"

"Yes. Why?"

"I found something, and I wondered if you could look at it?"

Hal pov

I looked at Kira questioningly. She had to camp and was now asking me to follow her to look at something could she be more vague? She had recovered well from her injury and helped mother in the tavern from time to time.

"Come on then I want to go before the feast of βασιλιάς happens."

"When's that?"

"Summer"

"But that's not or six moons." Edvin said in confusion

"Why do I even try" Kira shook her head in exasperation. "Let's go Hal."

We walk in silence through the forest to the old dock where we built the Heron. The dock was empty as the Heron was in Hallasholm. She walked around the corner of the shelter we had rigged to keep the rain off our tools.

"Okay, what am I looking at?" I question after staring in silence at the mess of metal, rope, and a strange hard material.

"My boat. The one I came in."

"It's tiny! And destroyed!"

"But fast. I could out strip a wolf boat in any tack and she's δεκάρα impossible to hit or raid."

"How'd you get it here?"

"Shoved it in the water and paddled in here."

"It didn't sink? When did you even do any of this?"

"Yesterday and you don't give her enough credit a 420 can be swamped and you can still sail her."

"Well let's lay it out" I say pulling the surprisingly light mast off the boat.

"Is hollow and here's the boom we will need a new gooseneck."

"What?" I ask as I pull cables out of the mess

"The pieces that connects the boom to the mast. Are those shrouds broken?"

"No." The sorting of the boat takes all day and we spend a lot of time on the haul itself. Checking for any leaks.

I look up and around we have been working talking quietly but now it was getting dark. "Kira think there is enough time to build you a shelter?"

"No by the time we found wood and build a fire and shelter it would be too dark and cold to be of use."

"You could sleep with us." She tenses and I run through our conversation crap that came out wrong. "No! Not like that! Gorlog no! I meant you can sleep in a spare bed roll by the fire in the cabin." she relaxes and nods getting up from the boat. Now sorted out it did not seem too bad though I wouldn't want to sail it. The thing had no true deck you just sat on the side of the boat with your feet in this small space in the middle. Kira turns walking up the path to the camp. I follow and when we reach the camp she goes in and pulls out the spare bed roll and lays as far from us as possible.

Stig looks at me and whispers "what is going on?"

"It's winter I couldn't leave her out there without fire or shelter."

"She's been mostly fine before this."

"She had time to make fire and shelter before the sun set."

"What if someone comes by?"

"When has anyone come by?" I counter. Kira had no place to sleep and the Skandian winter was cruel.

"Fine. Well we best get to sleep tomorrow weapon practice." we both turn and climb in to our rolls curling up as the fire died.

Kira pov

I tried to sleep I really did but I was freezing. I crawled out of my borrowed bed roll and crept up to the fire crouching next to it for warmth.

"Kira?" A groggy voice whispered from one of the lumps. He rose and by the dying light of the embers I could see Hal frowning in sleep deaden confusion.

"Did I wake you up? Sorry." I whisper

"It's fine why are you up?"

"I'm cold." I didn't look at him I could barely see him anyway but I could hear him shifting in his bed.

"Kira come here. This is ridiculous I can hear your teeth chattering." I blush was I really that loud? I crept to him and peer into the dark at where I thought his face was. His hand gently touch my face and it brought back memories of our first kiss when he simply push my hair out of my face and I kissed him a quick peck on the lips barely anything but he had simply stared at me in shock. "You are so cold." He whispered and I can feel his breath in the frozen air. It brings me out of my memories and I look at him. "Kira just for tonight you don't want to freeze and lose something to frost bite. It hit my numb mind then he wanted me to sleep in his bed roll. It was true that my people sleep in hammocks together when we are in the colder seas but not me, it was not proper and besides you normally did not sleep with the person you liked. Still I crawled in we were both fully clothed and I was so cold. Hal had made himself as small as possible but we still touch. I already feel myself warming up and I close my eyes curling up as best I can and try to push away thoughts of honor and what the other heron's would do if they saw us.

Hal pov

Kira was stiff and I tried to give her as much room as possible but that was not much. I didn't want her to think I was taking advantage of her. I mean I liked her but still it was not proper. But I soon fell asleep.

Only to find when I wake that Kira is gone. I scramble up to my feet pulling on my boots and coat. I run out into the forest trying to find Kira in this snow. But as one might guess that is almost impossible to do. "If I were Kira where would I go? I slap myself for her I would be with the boat I jog to the

Heron's dock along the way I see she has been this way fresh footsteps in the snow prove that.

I find her sitting in the boat looking down. I stand there unsure of what to do. We used to be able to be silent without being awkward but now it's different like we crossed some line when we slept together even though we did nothing. "They bicker like an old married couple." I remember Jesper saying to Stefan once. I guess that relationship is gone. I gather the courage to walk up to her and when I finally do she doesn't look at me instead she simply starts talking.

"I don't know what your people's customs are but in Oreek custom no woman sleeps with a man unless they are promised to each other, related, or in hard seas. I am sorry if you are offended by my behavior. I am simply trying to sort things out."

"I don't mind I am trying to sort things out myself."

"It is man's punishment to have a brain too big for the work that needs doing."

"What?"

"We as people think too much."

I ponder this then decide might as well, and I turn to her and put my lips on hers. I feel her tense before relaxing into the kiss. It's nothing passionate more like what you would give someone you had loved along time. When we pull away we look into each other and I can just feel the old relationship rebuilding.

"What now?" Is all she says?

"I guess we are together?"

"Sounds good to me." We sit together a while before I turn to her and say

"Kira what is your home like? In fact I don't even know its name just your peoples name." She looks a little sad but also amused like she can't really believe I don't know the name of her home.

"I live in the Oreek islands. I know shocker but each of the islands has its own name. There are eight large islands and a ninth the main city which is really a bunch of tiny islands with water ways and bridges everywhere. My sister and I live most of the time with my cousin in a small house surrounded by a garden only a minute walk from the beach. That's another thing we have snow but not so much and our beaches have fine white sand like sugar. In the summer all the water crafts are out from tiny paddle boards to huge merchant ships all sailing."

"Sound wonderful it is."

**Sorry I have not updated sooner but I had finals. Done with those so my brain can be born again and continue to write. Do you know how hard it is to make a circle platform? Not easy. So moving on from my problems. I wrote the out lines for the next two? Three? Chapters so hopefully something tomorrow. I probably should have been listening to my teacher when I was doing that because he was going over something=g on the test. Well I'll probably live. Please review!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything except Kira everything else belongs to Flanagan.**

**Olivecat**


	7. Ravens

Spring four moons later

Kira's POV

It is starting to finally warm up and I am relived. There had been a few cold nights like the one all those nights ago and I would curl up with Hal much to the delight and amusement of the other herons. I think back on the other herons. Stig the easily angered but loyal first mate and Hals closest friend he had been the most objective heron of us sleeping together but he was still a good friend. Jesper the clown who had found us curled up together one morning after I had slipped in and fallen asleep and had believed it necessary to wake every one so they could see that their skirl and wild girl were sleeping together. I had chased him through the forest all day for that. Wulf and Ulf who constantly argued over anything and everything till Hal sorted them out. They reminded me of my cousin and I who would argue without remembering what it was we were arguing about and had to have my sister step in. Ingvard the gentile giant I wish we were in the Oreek islands then I could find him a pair of glasses so he could see. Stefan the thief who I would chase whenever he stole my knife or bow. Edvin another problem solver who was always ready for a puzzle to present itself. I had become an unofficial member of the Heron brother band. Sister Kira, wild girl, they call me and I can't keep from feeling happy here I don't have to lie about who I am. I am just Kira Wavesong.

"Hey Kira you coming?" Stefan calls

"Ya I'm coming but where are we going?"

"Into Hallasholm. Apparently some boat has been wreaked and Oberjarl Erak is going to let them repair themselves."

"Let me go change." I was wearing Jesper's tunics and Edvin's breaches. Not what a girl here normally wears.

"Well don't take too long."

I run into the cabin and pull on a plain dress Karina gave me, tie a sash on and place my knife in it before running out to the rest of the boys. We walk towards Hallasholm emerging from the forest with me at the center. The inhabitants of Hallshlom are used to me by now but me coming out of the forest with the boys might raise some brows. Once we are in Hallasolm spread out more. When we get to the port I can easily see the new boat even if it had not been in a bad state it was very different from the wolf ships around it. I felt the hair on my neck stand up. I am a sailor at heart like all my people and I recognize a pirate's ship when I see one. The black streamline shape and the sail arrangement make it clear and I am ready to grab the boys and turn around. Pirates are the reason I have secrets and they are my peoples worst enemy. I may seem like I am over reacting but the Oreek people have been protecting our ships from pirates for centuries. But I walk with the boys up to the ship and study it. It is unlikely the boat was in a fight this damage looks self-inflicted and the sailors don't match the state of the ship. But why destroy their own ship? That was something I would have to investigate later.

"Impressive. Must have been some fight." Stefan declares

"Must have been." I agree quietly. Hal looks at me an eye brow raised. He can tell that something is wrong.

"You lot get going! The Brother Bands are meeting on the beach. And you girl don't you have something better to be doing?" Sigurd yells at us.

"See you later." I say turning away to go to Katrina's tavern. The boys echo my words turning away.

As I walk into Katrina's tavern and put on an apron my mind plans out my night activities.

Sunset that day

I pull on my black sailing clothes and strap my knife to my leg. Time to do some snooping. I run silently through the forest till I reach Hallasholm. I creep through the town and down to the docks where the black boat, the raven sits docked. I study the surrounding area. The men stand watch over the docks and I don't want to get in an open fight. This is my last chance, once I go on no turning back. And I can turn back; the boys are out on an overnight sailing trip. No one is at camp. No one will know, but I can't shake the feeling they are up to something. I look around is there any way around the men? I crouch and walk along the beach to the water's edge. The water is frigid I am probably going to have hypothermia after this but they say curiosity killed the cat and I am one curious cat. I silently slip into the water careful to keep my head above water I swim to the boat. The holes and mess in the wood give me prime hand and foot holds. I climb as carefully as possible trying not to make a noise. I come to a portcullis and hear the sound of voices but it's hard to make out. My eyes widen as a catch a bit. "We must get to that treasure without them knowing." They are defiantly up to something and I'm going to find out. I climb to the top and look around no one in sight. I ease myself on to the deck before looking for the hatch down to the lower deck. It's not hard to find and I hesitate before going down. Now I am trapped down here. I walk sticking to the shadows as I do trying to find the place the voices I had heard were talking. Only to be grabbed from behind. I freeze as I feel cold metal on my neck. (Idiot) I mentally berate myself on being so careless. I am manhandled down the hall to a cabin the door is pushed open and I am sent flying hands out to catch myself. I land on the floor. I lift my face snarling at the men watching me with mild amusement. I start to stand when a heavy boot comes down on my back holding me down. One of the men sneers at me and the other looks on silently but calculatingly he must be the captain he has more gold on him than the rest of the crew. "Looks like we got ourselves a little girly putting her nose where it don't belong." The man who is not the captain leans over and grabs my chin forcing my face into the light and much closer to his foul breath than I would like. "Oreek by the look of her. Wonder what she's doing so far from her islands." He says after studying me for some time.

"Possibly a scout from that Oreek ship from the fall." The captain says and it takes all my will power and training not to start asking after my people. Instead I give him a long look waiting to see what happens to me next. "Well tie her up and put her in a cell she's pretty and will fetch a good price a slave." The captain decides my fate in at is less than two sentences. That is the moment I see the necklace on the table. I recognize it instantly because I have one identical round my own neck. As the crew man drags me to my feet, I drop my hands and then in one swift motion turn a knife cutting through the man. I leap forward not out into the hall but at the table grabbing the necklace I bolt from the room the two men after me. I run flying down the hall and up the stairs to the deck I run like my life depends on it, clutching the necklace in my hand. I leap down onto the dock and take off into the woods. Most men would give up at this point but not these men. I am forced to run in the dark. I can't go to the Heron's camp no one is there, but I still don't want anyone to know I have ties to that place. Instead I run to a small cove. The men have fallen back but have not given up yet. I nearly crash into her. Dire Wolf, my little 420 that Hal and I had just last week finished with repairing. I shove her into the water raising the main sail and somehow steering with my foot. I swiftly glide away. I finish with the main sail and raise the jib lowering the centerboard also. I turn back grinning as the pissed off pirates appear yelling and cursing at the sight of me quietly sailing away. I turn forward and smiling while trimming the sails and looking to the stars for guidance.

**Hi got this done a day later but better late than never. Sorry if it seems rushed. Review and give me your thoughts. This is now over 32 pages long without AN like this one. Also thank you to the people who followed this story!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything except Kira everything else belongs to Flanagan.**

**Olivecat**


	8. Distraction

I sigh this should be an exciting day but I can't get my mind off the necklace I took from the pirates. They left shortly after my break in. I look at the necklace in my hand, I know it so well. It is my sisters after all. I stand with Katrina on the beach waiting to see if the boys can win the race. I have my faith in them and the Heron is a good ship.

We wait and wait and wait still they are not back. Finally Katrina looks at me " Was do you think?" She knows I am a sailor.

"I think they will be here soon but not before the storm breaks though they should be here before it gets bad." I look at the storm just waiting to break open and drench us. Then a horn sounds, the first of the boats has arrived but as I hear the horn it brings back a memory of my father looking down on me and saying with a voice full of grief "Pirates are cunning if they come to a harbor in peace or need you can bet they will be back and ready for whatever defenses you have." Could the pirates of the raven return? They had spoken of treasure.

"Oh no." Katrina murmurs and my attention is dragged back to the harbor as the first ship sails in and it is not the heron. Tursgud and his bullies have won. This probably means they will win the Brother Band prize. Then we wait to see who is next. I smile as the Heron sails in but something is wrong. The sail is wrong. They have not switched the sail to accommodate the wind direction that _cannot_ be good for the mast. As they land, the boys climb out but there are twice the number. I realize the Wolves are also there. What had happened? Hal ran over to us and I hug him "You did amazing."

"We didn't win."

"From the look of it you saved to wolves. Which is more important than any race. My people have a saying Δεν άφησε πίσω του ναύτη."

"No warrior left behind?"

"Sailor, Warrior same thing in Oreek but yes. We look out of each other."

"Hal get over here." Sigurd yells and we all walk over to him and Erak. "The sharks won the race, now everyone to the feast hall where we will announce the winning brother band and give out your bands.

We all walk over to the feast hall and Erak stands up.

"Now we have spoken and the points counted and the winner of this year's brother band is, the Herons. Instantly an uproar as the boys walk to the Oberjarl Hal in front. Erak starts speaking of duty and honor in battle. I sort of zone him out only to catch the end of the speech. "….And for tonight the Heron brother band will guard our most valuable treasure the andromadle **(A/N I have no idea how that is spelled.)" **That must have been what the pirates were talking about. I start to calculate how dangerous they could be and when they could possibly come and where my sister is because if they had her necklace then she must have been captured explaining why they never came. Suddenly Hal is in front of me and grinning. I smile at him but my mind is on other things and he frowns.

"Aren't you happy for us? For me?"

"Of course just…"

"Kira this is huge I am actually respected! I'm not Hal Who anymore."

"I know."

"Can't you just be happy? Or do you think this will change anything between us? It won't I promise" His earnest voice surprises me. The thought that I might be uncomfortable with him being higher in the world makes me chuckle. He glares at me and I can just imagine what is going through his head. But I didn't care. Not right now. Right now what matters is dealing with those pirates, finding my sister, and protecting my people. Hal huffs and turned away and I watch several girls approach him but my mind is already on other things.

In the end I leave. I can't think with the celebration going on and I decide to go to the boys' cabin. It will be taken down soon as the boys will return home. Home. I want it so badly. I curl up in Hals bed and try to go to sleep.

I wake late and scramble to change only to frown. They boys have not returned and the watch would have ended at dawn. I run through the forest in a head long rush my only goal is to find the Herons. I fly out of the forest and blink. I am near Katrina's tavern and I burst in. "Katrina where's Hal?" Instantly I know something has happened. Katrina sits crying in the kitchen. "Katrina," I kneel and take her hand "what happened? Where's Hal or the boys or Thorn?"

"They...They… The watch… Andromadle… stolen…. They gone...after it. Oh Kira Erak was going to take the Heron away he had stripped them of their weapons and bands but he wanted the heron." She sobs and I can barely make out the words but I understand. The pirates must have come in the night stolen the Skandians treasure and slipped away the boys having failed had to be punished. In the islands it would have been death for stealing for the person hard labor by sea for negligence and loss of all land and ships.

"Was anyone hurt?" Katrina just shook her head. "Katrina I am going to go after them and I will bring them back in one piece. I promise. I promise on Gead." _And on my __τιμούν ως ευγενής_.

"I don't know what it's worth but you go with my prayers." She whispered. I rise and walk out the door. I don't look at the grieving woman behind me. I can't do anything for her now. I walk melting into the forest. I don't look back because I probably won't be coming back and besides I don't want my last memory of this place to be one of looking back or goodbye.

**Hi so not a lot of views on the last chapter. Where did you people go? Any way I have the next part written but I am not posting it till I get three more reviews. I don't care what you write it can be a smile face or **_**you need a period here!**_** Just review. Three is not a lot. So hope life's been treating you well and have a good night.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything except Kira everything else belongs to Flanagan.**

**Olivecat**


	9. Sailing

I swiftly stuffed my bow, knife, and other possessions in a waterproof bag. I set off to the bay where Dire Wolf lays only to stop and growl as I see the both the wolves and sharks gathered around my precious boat. One boy bravely climbs on and I snarl no one touches my boat. I storm down. "All of you away from the boat." I was not in the mood to deal with boys and they, or at least the wolves who had some respect for me knew it. Tursgurd who stood by Dire wolf scowled then laughed.

"Ohh I so scared it's a girl."

I drew my knives "A girl who has kicked your ass before unarmed and this time I will hurt you if you don't get out of my way." My voice was full of command and most of the boys backed down.

"When'd you fight me? And somehow win. Don't you know who I am? I'm-"

"The son of the Skandians best warrior of this year. Doesn't make you a better warrior. Also no warrior has ever held the position more than three years in a row" I walk to the other side of the boat and secure my bag to the cockpit I then shrug off my cloak, revealing my black sailing suit. I feel the little more than boys look me up and down. I push on Dire Wolf and get her in the water. I think Tursgud is still in shock. Once Dire Wolf in floating I turn back to the group of mystified boys. "What?" I raise an eyebrow before leaping in over the side of the boat.

"Wait where are you going?" Rolland pushes to the front

"After the Herons. They could use another experienced sailor." I strap of my life vest and raise the jib letting it luff and find the best wind. "Bye. I'd say nice meeting you but honestly I only met you once when I was almost crazy and some of you are just plain bullies." I cheerfully wave before holding the tiller in my foot and raising the main sail with my hands.

(No one's POV)

"That is one crazy girl." Rolland said in amusement.

"She insulted me! Me! The son of the matig!"

"She is right. Few people hold that title for more than a year but I never heard of someone holding it three years in a row." Tursgud turns red at this. "Come on Wolves let's break down the cabin."

Hal POV (Haven't done him in a while.)

The first night was a little ruff. We took turns sleeping and I decided the pirates probably went east. We still had repairs to do on the sails but we could follow them.

My mind is pulled back to Kira who probably wants to kill me now for leaving her. But this is our problem and we are going to deal with it ourselves. I stand at the helm as we sail. We will need to stock up on food and fresh water.

Its dusk when we spot it. The "it" is a small boat sailing after us faster than I have ever seen. As a gust of wind fills both our sails I see it tip and tip and tip. The boat is going to swamp and I know they won't be able to survive out here for long, but then I see a shape lean out of the boat on the high side almost falling out but still there and I watch in amazement as the boat levels out and the shape is lost in the larger shape of the boat. I didn't say anything to the rest of the crew. Something about that boat nagged at me but not in a bad way but it was really annoying.

Then as the sun completly sets I see the small boat gain on us and I call Stig over.

"What do you make of that? It's been following us since dusk."

"It's too small to be pirates but it's had to tell. I say be alert but not attack."

"I agree but it is getting closer." I point out.

"Then we get ready, we are not in condition to out run them." I nod and Stig turns yelling for the crew to ready for battle but continue to sail.

We wait and within a quarter hour the small boat has pulled up beside up and it is really small. A single triangular sail and a deck no longer than sixteen feet. The lone sailor looks up at us and grins. "You didn't think I would let you boys have all the fun without me." I can't help but grin. This trip just got a whole lot more interesting.

**Hi. I said I was not going to post until people reviewed but only Blackswan707 reviewed which makes me sad. But thank you BlackSwan707 you rock! So I currently have a snow. A rarity because students will go to school until the subway closes in my city. I also have no life for the next month so be patient because I go on the road soon for shows and I won't be able to type much. I think there will be another eight chapters left? **

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything except Kira everything else belongs to Flanagan.**

**Olivecat**


	10. Words

Hal's POV

I'm happy to see Kira but at the same time this journey is for the herons and the herons alone. I watch Kira climb in with the help of Ingvard and tie up the small boat. It hardly affects the heron's Speed and handling and now I recognize it as Dire wolf. Thorn strolls up to Kira and glares "And what do you think you're doing here? This is no place for girls." I realize we never told him about Kira's abilities.

"I have been sailing since I was old enough to know not to fall out of the boat. I also have been trained in fighting on the water. You could use another experienced fighter and sailor." She says it calmly and I feel a little annoyed _"You could use another experienced fighter and sailor."_ She hadn't been at sea properly in a year and barely fought as far as I knew. And any way another person meant an extra mouth to feed. I like Kira but she makes me feel like she can do anything. Thorn just nods and turns to me

"We should pick up the pace; Erak will have sent men after us."

I nod and order the sail be brought in catching more wind.

Kira stands looking around but with nothing to do she climbs back in Dire Wolf and starts coiling lines and sails tying all of it to the mast and deck. Stig switches with me for the first few hours of the night and I sit on the deck with the others and we eat our small rations. Kira has some of her own rations, though I doubt she has much. Once I finish I take the helm from Stig and prepare to stay up of another three hours. Wulf, Ulf, Jesper, Stig and Thorn prepare to sleep lying on the deck with no blankets. I look over at Kira she's not going to sleep so I assume she is going to stay up with the rest of us.

"Hal can I talk with you." Her voice is soft and a little hesitant

"Well I can't leave the helm so if you want to talk, talk."

"Hal something is upsetting you."

"Kira my world just fell apart. I lost the andromadle; we are running away from our own people. Of course I'm upset."

"There's that but you are stronger than these problems. You are brave and a good leader and don't blame yourself for the treasure the only thing that would have happened was you would all be dead. But it's not only those things that have you upset. Hal" She hesitates "Hal are you angry with me?" the question is quiet and she looks uncomfortable but in the dark it is hard to tell. We really need to have these conversations in daylight. I realize I am angry with her, and words tumble out of my mouth without me registering what I am saying before I say it but I find that it's the truth.

"Why are you here Kira? You stuck with us all through the program and now you are here with us on a trip to get back my people's greatest treasure."

"When I first was here I thought I would stay because I thought my people would come for me but they didn't. And... And now I just want to be with you and help you."

I can't keep myself angry at her. Not now.

After that we talk of little things and the voyage ahead of us.

Stig POV

I was trying to sleep but Kira and Hal talking made it hard.

"..I lost the andromadle; we are running away from our own people. Of course I'm upset."

"There's that but you are stronger than these problems. You are brave and a good leader and don't blame yourself for the treasure the only thing that would have happened was you would all be dead. But it's not only those things that have you upset. Hal...Hal are you angry with me?"

I always knew Kira was not from Skandia or even Araluan but I never figured it out. Actually I never have figured out Kira. She shows up and it's like she's part of the band. I don't resent her but I don't fully trust a person who clearly has secrets. She only really talks about her people to Hal and I can tell from the way he talks about her that she leaves things out. Hal might not notice it but I do. She says everyone has their place in her country but she never talks about her's. Listening to the two talk I ponder it.

"Why are you here Kira?" Why indeed. You stay only with the band and barley make yourself known to the rest of the people living in Hallasholm. And then she hesitates to finish her reason. She not saying all the reasons why she has joined us and I don't like that.

**Another Chapter done on the snow day. Not much in the way of snow yet. Too much drama with Stig? That last part was hard to write so if it was bad tell me! I really want to know. These chapters are getting shorter and shorter. About five more chapters left. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything except Kira everything else belongs to Flanagan.**

**Olivecat**


	11. Paths

Hal POV

The week pasted quietly. Kira slept with the rest of us and did work that needed doing. She would switch between helping in the _Heron_ and sailing her own small boat scouting out the sea and as far as we could tell showing off. She would dart around the _Heron_ with surprising ease and then steal our wind before flying ahead and forcing Dire wolf to almost capsize (Fall over) and normally recovering without getting wet. A few times she either fell out of Dire wolf which was not that hard seeing as it had no sides or Dire wolf would capsize fully and she would have to stand on a board protruding from the haul of the small boat and bounce on it until gravity pulled it up all the way which consequentially caused Kira to slip off and fall back in the sea only to flail at the boat in an attempt to climb back on. Whenever this happened we all would laugh even Kira who apparently liked capsizing.

We had switched to a southern course sailing along the coast. I looked over a map thinking out our path as we would need to get supplies soon. Kira sits next to me and looks at the maps. She too is a skilled navigator though not as much as I. "Where do you think they will go?" I ask her.

"I would expect they would return to their nest."

"But we don't know where that is!"

"I thought we did." I look at her. What was she talking about? "Or at least suspected where it is. We been sailing that direction. I thought you knew where it was."

"No." Was all I could manage. Now she gives me a look before pulling out a necklace. She twists the medallion and opens it. I marvel at the complexity of the little thing before looking at the paper in her hands. She places it over the map and I realize it's Oreek but not the handwriting I am use too. I can't read it very well and I look to Kira to translate it.

"It _says Sister I don't know if this will reach you but I pray to WS that it does. We have been captured by magpies. The ship is on a south west course with povs. For another three days from S23 E34 most likely on north coast of Fegue S30 E25. Freya"_

"You knew and didn't tell us!"

"Thought you knew! Besides Freya was not even certain. A ship can go quite far on three day provisions and this was written in the fall."

"Best lead yet other than following the Raven. By the way who are the magpies?"

"Zavac's people."

"Oh."

"Hal what are you going to do now?"

"I want to see this island but the note didn't say it was the _Raven_ I don't want to risk losing the trail."

"Then our path separate for now."

"What!" I can't help it every one looks at us, I wave them away. "What do you mean?" I look at Kira. She is amazing and I feel like something in me is twisting sharply because of her words.

"Hal I must look for her, she's my sister. I can pack provisions on Dire Wolf and follow the coast south beaching at night till I reach S30 then turn east."

"But..."

"But what Hal? I can take care of myself and it will only take a week to reach the island, then a few days to look around and a week back. I won't be gone more than a moon, and it's not like I have not done this type of thing before. Hal I'll be okay."

"I know just…"

"Just what?"

"Just..." I lean over the map and kiss her it's swift but nice because she kisses back. One of the twins wolf whistle and we break the kiss. Kira turns and draws her bow and points it at the boy who yelps and hides behind the mast. Kira smirks lowering and slowly releasing the string which was empty by the way.

She starts moving around the deck pulling all her things together. She takes food from the ship stores and packed it away.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm leaving. I got a lead on a pirate nest and I am going to look in to it. I will be gone about a moon."

No one was happy about that.

"But how are you going to find us?" Edvin asked always the logical one.

"Tell you what you follow the pirates and I'll follow you." Kira said playfully

We settled down for the night I would take over steering later from Stig. Kira slept beside me curled in a blanket braced against the ship. She would be leaving in the morning. "Kira be careful."

"When am I not?"

"A lot."

"Your exaggerating now as you say shut up and sleep."

I kiss her temple and whisper in Skandian to her even though I know she doesn't understand me.

She whispers in Oreek back at me but I don't understand. Instead I let the ships sounds lull me to sleep.

I wake to Stefan poking me. I get up leaving Kira to sleep she will need all the rest she can get for her own journey. Finally she wakes walking over to us. She simply nods and says "See you in a moon."

She is almost when I leap up and grab her arms and spin her till we are face to face then I simply kiss her.

"Good-."

"Only say that when we don't meet again."

**Finally read the second and third book. I now have a week of my life back and I will use it to hopefully write the rest of the story. Unlikely. So some changes in characters and I will probably use some parts of book 2 and 3. I'd say review but no one does so might as well give up on saying it anymore but it still stands.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything except Kira everything else belongs to Flanagan.**

**Olivecat**


	12. Long Time No See

**Now there are spoilers for book 2 and 3. Book 2 has all happened and now book 3 up till they get by the rapids. **

Kira's POV

One Moon later

Well I found Freya. She's on Fegue like I thought but surrounded by pirates. I also found my cousin who had been traveling with us. Everyone else on the crew has been killed I guess the only reason they are still alive is they look enough like Oreek nobles to be considered worth holding hostage. They are in the pirates' citadel Raguza like Freya had thought. I had also found out where Zavac kept his hoard for the boys.

I miss the Herons. I have become so used to life with them that it is lonely without them. I have been sailing up the Dan River for a few days passing ports and wondering how I'm going to get Dire Wolf through the stupid boom at Bayrath as I have no money. I pass a tributary and wonder if I would be able to go up it when suddenly a small ship sails out of it and I nearly capsize. WS must have been playing with me because it was _the Heron_. "Well at least I found them." I mutter before yelling "Προσπαθείς να με σκοτώσεις Hal?"

"Όχι"

"May I say your Oreek is getting better."

"I had a good teacher."

"Kira is that you?" Jesper lookes over the side. His words cause everyone to run and look over. I tack and jib till I am beside them. Stefan throws a rope that I catch and secure to Dire Wolf. I unrig her before climbing up over the rai,l Ingvard helping me.

"Thanks big guy."

"Who are you?" I see a girl with olive completion and wild black hair look at me with dislike.

"Kira Wavesong. Hello, what's your name?" Always be polite unless they are trying to kill you.

"Lydia" She said approaching carefully. I hold out my hand noticing she carries a dirk and some other weapon though I don't recognize it but I like her already she reaches out and we clasp hands. I turn to the Herons, "I glad you had someone to look out for you." I turn to her "They always need someone to keep them inline." We both smile and it's clearly the beginning of a good friendship. "Oh no I just thought of something." Jesper moans "Now that there are two of them they are going to take over the ship and girlify it."

"One is girlify even a word and-"

"Two what do you mean by it?" I start and she finishes. Jesper gulps and runs as far from us as possible. "This is going to be fun." She tells me and I nod agreement.

Later at dinner the Herons press me for information. "Good news or bad news first?"

"Good" they all chorus.

"Good news I know that Zavac is indeed heading for Raguza and my sister and cousin are also there. I also took the liberty of finding Zavac's treasure room where he will probably put the Andomal. Bad news we, eleven people are not going to get in there without major help. More good news I know people who would love to help and they are only seven days sail from the opening of the Dan River. Zavac will not do anything with the andomal for a long time anyway."

"So where are we going? There is no land beyond Fegue for several weeks sailing." Stig voiced.

"Not on the maps but I know how to get there."

"And you're sure they'll help?" Thorn questioned.

"Well the heir to the throne and her cousin are being held in the city and they don't like pirates."

"Didn't you say your sister and cousin are being held there?" Hal said quietly

"She's not my blood sister. I serve her as a maid but we are like sisters and that makes her cousin my cousin." I wince inside I don't like this situation and I have made a tangle in me and my sister's web.

"You serve the heir of a foreign country?" Wulf asks

"My country is small and the royals there often walk in the city so I was able to get a job in the palace easy." I could see this pacified most of the Herons except Lydia, Hal, and Stig. I wasn't surprised; Hal always had a sense that I was not telling him everything about my personal life, though he trusted me to tell him if it affected the Herons. And Stig had suspicions that I was not all I seemed. Lydia just was not fully sure of me yet and I could understand that. We had just met. She probably thought I was something of a threat to her place on the ship and I wanted to make it clear we were equals and that I was not going to take her place on the ship.

"Well I'll take all the utensils." Edvin said picking up all our bowls and walking away to wash them. I move to sit with Lydia. "What are those things on your back?"

"Large darts that I can throw with more force with an atlatl" she said showing the weapon to me. I raised an eyebrow impressed.

"How far can you hit with it?"

"Over 100 meters."

"Well?"

"I hunt with it"

I whistle appreciation of the weapon. "I have never seen something like it but I can see why you like it."

"I wasn't going to use a bow because I could never draw the same weight as the boys in Limmat."

I pull my own bow off my back. I had learned at a young age when my arm strength had been equal to any boy and had worked at it just as hard. Plus I sail so I was as strong as most boys. But in the end it doesn't matter each bow must be made for a single person as you can injure yourself if you use a different bow. Not to say I couldn't use a different bow but for prolonged use it's better to be safe than sorry.

"It has three strings." She says.

"Like the atlatl it improves range, force, and accuracy."

"How?"

"The third string and the pulleys mean there is more force and more force larger range. The string is hard to pull at first but then you reach a point and you can hold the string for an hour while you aim."

"Amazing."

"So Kira, mind pointing out this invisible land mass to me so I can get us there?" Hal yelled from where he was studying a map.

"Got to go good talking to you."

"You too." We smile at each other and I walk over to Hal.

"You want to end up here I say pointing to a point that look like ocean south west of Fegue."

"So just down the river for now."

"Yes. Do we have red and blue or white cloth?"

"No but we can get it easy at the next port why?"

"We will get attacked on sight if we don't have it."

"Definably getting that cloth then." We laugh and I lean over giving him a quick kiss on the cheek, "it's good to be back."

"It's good to have you back. We missed you. I missed you."

"I know" We link hands for a moment before turning away. "Might as well get my stuff on board." I walk down to Dire Wolf pulling my seal skin bag from its place under the deck.

I climb up on to _the Heron_ andput it in Hal's pigeonhole. It's like we are living together with nine other people. I jump back onto land and curl up in Hal's bedroll and decide to catch up on some much needed sleep.

**I got this typed up and can say I am relived. I might actually finish this story in a week if I can keep myself interested. I never thought this would be over twelve chapters long. Anyone guess Kira's secret now? Same old disclaimer. I don't own the Brotherband chronicles. **

**Olivecat**


	13. Oreek

**I had Hal's POV typed up before I even posted the first chapter so this is probably going to be really disjointed because my style has changed since then. Also forgot to add this to the last two posts but WS is Kira's patron god.**

Kira POV

We sailed with little difficulty making a wide berth around Fegue. I felt very nervous I had only really lied once about my life but I had not been open telling them everything. Lydia and I were close friends now. She had been surprised when she found Hal and I sleeping together and when she commented on it Jesper fell off his log laughing. Thorn had just humped in disapproval like normal whenever our sleeping habits came up. Now though I wanted to return to Skandia back to when we were all living in the forest. I loved the Oreek islands but I didn't want to face the Herons when they found out. It's too late now I think to myself guiding _the Heron_ into the harbor past the guards who nodded to me when I showed a badge with the royal crest on it. Stefan tied up the Heron and I helped with the rigging and oars before leaping over the rail onto the dock.

Hal POV

I watched Kira as she leaped off the heron calmly and with dignity. I studied the city in front of me. It had long strips of stone and sand side by side stretching all the way down the coast, the sun beating down and I started sweating in my sea furs. I saw people lying on the sand and others splashing in the water. Kira walked down the stone road toward a long building that was two stories tall and unbelievably ling with different parts made different. One was full of people sitting and eating only a bar separating it from the road and beside it a wall with glass fronts full of large bound books and maps and βιβλία which I think roughly translate as Books. Kira ignored this and the crazed movement of the crowds not allowing any of us to really focus on anything but keeping track of her. She suddenly turned into a store that had bright clothing displayed on racks. Kira swiftly moved through the store talking and it seemed almost arguing with the shop keeper, a young woman who stood leaning on a counter set to one side of the store. Kira pulled clothes out almost at random glancing at us once and awhile and switching clothes then she moved to large baskets of brilliant cloth and picked through them putting the other clothes on the counter next to the woman. Kira pulled out pink and blue pieces and dropped them and items from that area on the pile. The woman started to write down the clothes and put them in a bag. Then she said something in Oreek "που θα είναι ενενήντα παρακαλώ" and Kira counted out coins into the woman's hand and took the clothes now placed in a bundle and tied. She walked out and toward the strip of sand. We were on a relatively empty part of the city now. "Don't speak. For now they assume we are sailors returning and so have not changed yet but open your mouths and they will know you are not from here got it?" Kira hissed

"Why do we have to be so secret?"

"We are going to be separated and if they think you are not Oreek they will believe that you are pirates trying to slip in and steal."

"Why will we be separated?"

"Well unless you want to change in the street we can use the public bathhouse which is divided by gender. Now shut up here we are."

And then she shoved the clothes in our arms taking only the things she had bought from the other piles for herself and Lydia and walked around a corner we followed her example but went into the room across from her. We had little difficulty with the clothes though they were short stopping at our knees and the shirts cut off at our biceps. We were silent ignoring the men that walked by shirtless or dressed similar to us. I felt ridiculous but cooler so I lead the group out to wait for Kira and Lydia; they walked out soon after us. I blinked Kira wore the pink cloth over one shoulder and wrapped around her middle leaving one shoulder bare except for a thin strap. Lydia was dressed similarly in the blue cloth though she did not seem to like her clothes as much. They still wore pants though they were similar in length to ours Kira started to walk away Lydia at her side and I just stared her. She seemed to have change personality overnight. Before she was fun and was a seamless part of the crew but now she acted so different as if she was scared and at the same time proud. She walked along a street and stopped. We were faced with a canal and door steps and gates opened right on to it. Kira walked to a building that had a bridge connecting it to a building on the other side and stepped through a door way reveling a small stair case leading up to the bridge. "Κλείστε το στόμα σας" she hissed and I thought she said something about my mouth and I realized it was open. From the bridge you could see that the island was multiple islands full of small boats and bridges. It was beautiful. She led us through the city to a small gate covered in ivy and pulled a key from under it. Then she let us into a garden which was full of vegetation and had small trees laden with fruit. "You can talk now. This is my home and no one is here."

I looked at the stone home in front of us. It was small and modest compared to some homes here but incredible in the detail and lay out. It was mainly one floor with a small loft space above as Kira called it. A kitchen was separated by a counter and the rest of the room had book shelves and cloth chairs all around. It was bright and sun lit and I could understand Kira's love of her home but she still seemed so nervous like she thought someone was going to burst in. I saw a ladder leading up probably the sleeping place and a door leading off the main room. "This is nice. Are all houses like this?" Jesper questioned. "Yes and many are much larger or nicer but I like it." She climbed the ladder and came down again swiftly. "Lydia you can sleep with me upstairs in the loft boys there are mattresses and blankets in that cabinets." She looks around. "Will one of you go and walk up the street to the left and have them fill up this jug?" Edvin and Ingvard both reach out for the jug. "How about you both go here Edvin you take the money and Ingvard you take the jug." They both set out. "If you need to go toilet is in there." she points to the closed door. "Tub and wash basin is also in there is you want to clean up. We will go to the palace tomorrow."

"Kira what going on with you? You're acting weird." Ulf says bluntly. Kira simply smiles and says "I'm just nervous. If anyone knows you are here they won't be happy. I could be hung for revealing this place to you and you imprisoned. Or I could be taken to find out where Freya is. In either situation better to get an audience in the palace than be held for trial."

"But won't they do that any way because you will tell them tomorrow?' Wulf wondered.

"No because we will be talking to friends of mine and people who won't just jump to conclusions." Then Ingvard and Edvin walked in with the water. "Oh good you got the water Ingvard I'll show you where to put that." Kira rose and Ingvard followed her. I could hear them talking softly. They came back into the room. "Well we got no food in the house which is unsurprising seeing as no one has been here for almost a year."

"But there's no dust."

"I know there is a servant who comes in once a week and cleans when I am traveling."

"How do you pay?"

"Bank takes money from my account but back on to food anyone feel like coming with me to the market. Only like one or two. It would be odd for more to come."

"I'll go." I say getting to my feet.

"Let's go." Kira grabs a basket on her way out and carries it on her hip as we walk down the street.

"Μπορείτε να μιλήσετε στα ελληνικά" I understand that she wants me to talk in Oreek.

I try to remember how to ask what we are buying. "Τι χρειαζόμαστε?"

"κρέας και τα λαχανικά, καθώς και μαγειρικά έλαια" Meat, vegetables and cooking-something. I didn't fully understand the last word. "Τι είδους κρέας θέλετε ψάρι κοτόπουλο ή γαρίδες μπριζόλα?" She asks as we step to the edge of a canal. She waves to a man poling a small flat boat. He pulls up and Kira steps in carefully I dubiously step in and consider her question of what meat did I want. Fish, chicken, and stack I understood but the last I didn't. "Τι προτείνεις?" Because I have no idea what the meat is for. "Γαρίδα" the meat I don't know. I hope I haven't just poisoned everyone. She says something to the man and he pushes off gently guiding us down the canal and through the water ways. We sit in silence until we reach a dock. Kira tosses the man a coin. "Σας ευχαριστώ" he repeats her words and we step off I risk one quiet question in common as we are alone for a moment "What is γαρίδα?"

"Large shrimp" she whispers back as we enter a cobble stone square lined with vendors selling as far as I can tell every type of food some cooked some not. Kira moves confidently and it hits me that she has probably walked into this very square and bought food. This was Kira's home. We bought what we needed Kira haggling with the vendors and her basket quickly filled with food. We switched off on the basket especially toward the end. It wasn't that she couldn't carry it herself but it seemed to be how things were done. Vendors who saw me holding the basket patiently for her nodded approval and other young men were doing the same as well. We walk through the streets and bridges and Kira seems to relax becoming more like her old-self she shows me the amazing beaches. They are like nothing I have ever seen they are pure white sand that is like sugar with no true rocks along the entire stretch I watch children swim and splash in the water shirtless. "Come on she says kicking off her sandals and taking the basket from me and stepping off the road and leaping of a barrier onto the sand. I stare it's at least thirty meters out to the sea and the sand goes from soft too hard to soft in long bands with people sprawled in the sand or digging holes. I take off my own new sandals and follow her down to the water. She wades in up to her calf and gestures for me to come smiling. I step in expecting it to be freezing as it is only spring but I find to my greatest shock the water is warm and at the same time a relief from the heat of the city. "We can go swimming later" she whispers to me. It for once sounds like a great idea. We walk across the sand returning to the house. One off the main ways I ask a question. "Kira what is happening to the _Heron_?"

"She's safe. The harbor guards protect all boats. The price of accepting a bribe is very severe."

"Good. So what is for dinner?"

"Shrimp stir-fry"

"I have no idea what that is." We both laugh at that and she brushes shoulders with me and I link arms with her as we turn up the street that the house is on.

"How about we teach the boys to swim?" I can't help but laugh at how that would go over. "I know I'll teach you how to sail Dire Wolf."

"By the why what happened to Dire Wolf you destroyed her."

"No just took her mast down covered her in tarp and hid her name otherwise we would be getting a lot of guests."

"I wish you would tell me what is going on."

Kira sighs and looks regretful. "I haven't been fully truthful about who I am. Not everything I told you has been lies but I left out parts. And now I have become to use to the way you see me I can't tell you myself anymore. I just care for my relationships with all of you too much to destroy them myself. Your opinion of me would change greatly and I don't want it to, but come tomorrow it will."

"Kira whatever is the problem we'll figure it out."

"If it's worth anything only a handful of people know about this...thing."

"Like I said we will figure this out." I say as we step up to the door.

"Kira you said you had a bath but I though you meant something to sit in not a small pond!" Stefan said

"It's not that big." Kira replied

"Ingvard could fit in it'

"You exaggerating" Lydia quipped

"Well I'm going to make dinner" Kira said to no one in particular.

"I'll help" Edvin called out,

Those two disappeared into the kitchen and soon the sound of something sizzling could be heard. When they were done which was not long, Kira called everyone to the kitchen where she was doling out large amounts of food into wooden bowls and handing us forks. I grabbed one of the bowls and looked in it. It was a mix of long thin noodles Kira had bought at the market and greens with three large shrimp all covered in sauce that stained the noodles slightly brown. It looked delicious. Then I tried to find a table to sit at but found none. "Where do we eat?"

"Anywhere." Kira said handing a bowl to Lydia before taking up another bowl and walking into the main room we all sat but there was no enough space for Kira who simply leaned on the wall eating as she stood.

"Uh Kira do you want to sit?" Stig offered

"No I'm fine. I eat this way a lot beside the hostess always stands if there are no seats left." She tucked in and I followed her example. The Shrimp as she called them were delicious as were the rest of the bowl. Everyone was silent as they ate till Thorn broke the silent by saying "I have had shrimp before but never this good."

"Thank you." Was all Kira said as she too was eating like the rest of us. "I like your food but nothing beats Oreek cooking after a long journey."

Once everyone had had seconds or thirds in some peoples case we all put the dishes in a basin and Kira filled a pot with water from the jug which was upside-down on a pillar with a indent. Kira had placed the pot in the indent and turned a small wheel allowing water to flow into the pot. It made me think of my own failed system of water. Once the water is hot she dumps half in one basin and half in another and starts to wash the dishes. I dry and put them away in various cabinets and wonder at the ingenuity of Kira's people. "How do you come up with all these things and the boats?"

"We value creativity and new ideas. People who enter a craft are encouraged to change designs and improve them or make something completely new. We also don't fight with other countries other than pirates so we are not a country that values our military as much as yours. We also have many resources here on the islands and elsewhere."

"Wow. Exactly how many people are on the Oreek Islands?"

"4,000 roughly. It small but we have outpost and small communities elsewhere in the world that call themselves Oreeks."

She looks out the window and I hear the sound of a bell. "First bell of dusk. We best get you lot ready for bed." We walk into the main room and Kira gives orders for the bedding to be brought out. We all except Kira and Lydia were laying in comfort on the ground thick padding between us and the floor and thin blankets on top of us as the heat would have made anything else more too much. I can hear the girls talking up stairs. Lydia seems to be impressed by the room. I stretch out on my mat and fall asleep quickly wondering what tomorrow will bring.

**Hi people who read this! I had a lot of fun writing this mostly because I have wanted to describe Kira's home for a long time. I am already working on the next chapter. Thank You Dash99** **for the review. You will find out in the next chapter. I don't own Brotherband much I wish I did.**

**Olivecat**


	14. The King

**Quick note because this chapter would have a lot of Oreek dialogue the Oreek will be in italics.**

Kira's POV

I wake early in the morning before everyone else. I dress and go down. I walk out and pull out a cart which I load with empty jugs for everyone's baths. Wheeling the cart down the street I feel giddy but also nervous how Arthur will, the king take the loss of Freya? Not only am I her maid but also her guard. "_Water__ Boy!"_

_"Freya?"_

_"I need you to fill these up." _I tell him handing him the five jugs. He obligingly fills them from the well and Places them in the cart.

"_When'd you arrive?"_

_"Yesterday. I go to speak with the king today."_

_"Good luck."_

_"I'll need it."_ I replied as I wheel the cart back to the house. I walk to the back of the house where a ramp goes up to the roof. I take the jugs and open a hole in the roof and pouring the water in. Soon all the water is in and I walk down and into the house and walk into the bathroom. I strip before pulling a lever which releases the water. It's great to finally get to use a shower after a year of tubs. I am quick and start on breakfast before the boys have even considered waking. Lydia soon joins me. "You said I could wash?"

"Oh right. Come on I'll explain it to you." I lead her into the bathroom and explain the shower before leaving her. She looks at it doubtfully then at me. "Why is it like this?"

"It saves water and you can clean yourself much more easily." I walk out before the food burns.

Ulf is next to wake, looking around for the source of food. "Wake everyone else and you can eat." I tell him and he swiftly wakes the entire crew. As they sit down to eat Lydia comes out and everyone blinks at her wet hair. "Kira you are right. I love showers." I simply grin.

"That reminds me. You lot all need to bathe the clothes you have will do. Lydia I have a tunic you can where."

"Thank the gods."

"Didn't like street clothes? You'll miss them in the afternoon when the sun is hottest." I grin evilly.

"What about you? Don't you need to bathe?" Wulf asked

"Ya and can we even meet a king in regular clothes?" Stefan questioned.

"I already showered. As for the king he's a bit like Erak only he commands more respect. I am the maid of the princess so I can go to the palace."

"When will we go?" Thorn looked at me.

"Noon. That gives you time to wash and the king will not have any meeting then so we will be able to talk to him."

"How do you know the kings schedule?" Edvin this time. They are all full of questions.

"You learn those kinds of things when you serve the kings daughter."

Once breakfast is done and the dishes are washed the boys are given a tutorial of the shower and then Lydia and I decide to go look around the city. Lydia has happily changed into a short tunic with short breaches while I where clothes like I did the day before.

"Kira what is the point of the clothes you're wearing?" She asks as we walk along an empty road.

"Well as you can tell Oreeks swim a lot more than Skandians. Thick clothes are not only hot but heavy and if we fall in the water we could exhaust ourselves trying to swim with such weight. So for pants it's this thin material that we brush with wax to make water resistant and then shirts which most males swim without and for girls it's a breast band and bolt of cloth we wear for modesty."

"Not very modest." I laugh

"True but you get used to it."

We wander in and out of shops admiring the bright summer clothes. Then I grin at Lydia and pull her through a narrow lane to a large shop. "This is my favorite armory." I whisper in her ear. We walk in and Lydia stops to simply stare at all the weapons around her. As we are often attacked by pirates we do have demands for weapons and this armory makes long range weapons. I walk to the counter and the man behind it recognizes me.

"_Kira, my favorite customer you have returned safely! How was your journey?"_

_"Not over yet I'm afraid. And am I your favorite customer because I have a deep purse or because you like my brilliant personality?"_

_"A wise answer would be the second one but to be truthful it is a mix of both_." We both laugh at that.

"_Salue, my friend here needs more ammo for her weapon."_

"_What weapon_?" He asked looking around and I nudge Lydia and point to the dart I had asked her to bring. She held it out puzzled. She had of couse known nothing of what we had just said but I had remembered that she was running low on darts and I wanted her to have enough for the coming fight that is sure to happen.

"_Ah I have never seen a dart such as this. What is it for?" _Salue looked at Lydia curiously and I decided that Salue could be trusted with the knowledge of Lydia's origins.

"Lydia only speaks common."

"Ha a foreigner then but why Kira?" He switches to common easily

"I have been traveling and Lydia wanted to come." He accepted it quietly though I knew it would not be enough. "Anyway can you make more of these darts?"

"Yes but I am curious as to their use." He was serious now.

"Lydia, 'want to show him?"

"Sure?" She wasn't sure of if she could talk or not but became more confident as I nod. "Where am I aiming?"

"How about that target over there?" Salue pointed to a large canvas target. Lydia clipped the dart to the atlatl and aimed. I heard the now familiar sound of the dart flying and watch the dart hit dead center from thirty meters. It was child's play and Salue knew it. He whistled in appreciation and turned to me.

"I'll make those darts how many do you want?" I look to Lydia.

"A dozen."

"Fine. I'll charge 50 keroes."

"20"

"I need some business. 40"

"And I have a feeling you're about to get a lot of business soon. 30"

"Done. And what business would this be for?"

"You'll know soon." I say as I drop the coins on the counter to be swept up by Salue.

"Well in any case expect them to be ready at the end of the week."

"Perfect." I yell over my shoulder as I guide Lydia out of the shop.

"You didn't need to do that." She rounds on me.

"You said you need more darts and Salue is a good wood worker plus it would be hard to find the materials to make the darts here on the islands. You can go in and check on the darts to approve them in a few days."

"Guess I should say thank you."

"You're welcome. Now come on I want to make sure the boys have not destroyed my house. We laugh and take off in a run towards the house.

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We found the boys wet but clean and dressed. But Thorn had refused to wear the clothes. I have to be honest. I expected him to dg his heels in with Oreek clothes so I had while we were out, bought him clothes that were normally worn by the older men. Long but thin pants and a short sleeved shirt. He accepted them enthusiastically. "Much better."

"I thought you would like them more."

"Are we going to see the king now?" Hal asked.

"Yes." I open the door herding everyone out before locking it and leading them out. I could understand their impatience at the fact that we had done nothing today but wash yet I knew that if we came to early we would be turned away no matter whether I was Freya's maid or not. Years of experience of trying to get audiences both with Freya and the King had taught me the tricks of their schedules.

We walked through the beautiful city to a palace placed in the center on a small hill. I walk in front with Hal on one side and Stig on the other with the other herons, Thorn, and Lydia spread out behind us.

The first guard to see us looked like he was about to fall over. His partner looked around to see what had him like that and when he saw us he only stared. As we approached he seemed to come out of his daze and bowed deeply.

"_Lady, you have returned_." Was all he could manage. His partner the one who looked about ready to pass out clumsily repeated the bow. I nodded and walked on. The Herons were confused and I could feel their eyes on me as we continued to the throne room

"_Lady you have returned!_" A maid bowed as we passed.

"Being like the sister of the heir to the throne gives you respect." I mutter to the Herons.

We reach the doors to the king's study. The guard standing at his post by the door bows.

"_We must speak to the king immediately._"

"_Yes Freya._" He speaks softly and in Oreek but the Herons recognize the name Freya. He opens the door and I walk in. The room is simple but well lit and full of books and comfortable chairs. The king sits in a chair facing the door and he looks up as the door opens. "Guard leave us." His voice is soft yet firm but there is lots of sadness too, with a spark of hope. _"Which are you?"_ He quietly asks.

"Kira." I say just as softly. With no warning the king is on his feet and sweeps me up. I hug back just as hard. The Herons had all leaped back when the king moved but now were so confused I was surprised they hadn't asked any questions yet.

"I'm confused." Was all Hal could say. The king let his grip on me loosen so he could take in the Skandians and Lydia.

"Sorry I should have given you some warning." I say simply. "How about we all sit down and get this sorted out." I lead the king back to his chair and drag my favorite chair from beside the fireplace. "Come on. You can sit in the king's presence." And to prove this point I plopped in the chair my head and legs hanging over the arms of the chair. Hal cautiously brought a chair over. Lydia and Stig followed and everyone else followed them. "_What happened Kira? Where is your sister? Where is Freya?"_

_"_They only speak common." I reply in common. "But the story of what happen is really long so I will come back to that. Freya on the other hand is with pirates in Raguza on Fegue. So is Aiden."

"Aiden?" Wulf broke in.

"Cousin. Anyway I was unable to find the crew from the _Serenity _leading me to believe they are dead. And Freya and Aiden are under heavy guard. We will need to make plans." I report from my position on the chair. I knew that I should be sitting upright especially since we were talking about good people being killed and the king was looking at me but for that same reason I was in this potions. I feel the need to show that I have changed. Part of that is that I don't sit properly.

"Can we get some answers first?" Thorn spoke up.

"I would like some too." The king agrees. I glance at him and ask silently. He gives a small nod and I draw breath.

"I have not been fully open with who I am."

"No kidding. People were bowing to you out there." Stefan says, only to quiet at the look the king gives.

"I am still Kira Wavesong but I'm royalty. The next in line to the throne. Oh and this is my father King Arthur Wavesong." I walk over to a cabinet and open it pulling out a simple circle of polished metal. I place it on my head and turn to them. Shock and a little anger is on their faces. "I am sorry about lying to you. If it makes you feel better almost no one on this island knows. When I first met you I had just dragged myself out of the water, I didn't have all my wits so I gave you my birth name. It's why I didn't want you to talk Kira is common but not that common."

"What other name would you have given?" Thorn asks.

"Freya Silverwing. She is my maid though we switch positions so much we are both Kira Wavesong and Freya Silverwing."

"Why?" Hal speaks up and I look at him sadly. His face is full of hurt that I didn't tell him about this.

"If pirates capture a ship they are more likely to ignore the maid who jumped overboard than the lady. Also it allows me to walk freely among others without the bowing and scraping."

"So she's just there to take the attack." Lydia sounds disgusted with the idea. I would too. I never liked the idea of Freya acting as decoy for me and thankfully up till this point she had never needed to.

"In theory but Freya is as much a Wavesong as I and more often we switch to relive me of some princess duties. We are like sisters." I answer simply.

"But you left her to the pirates." Edvin spoke up. Father had started to glare but I looked over at him.

"_It okay I am use to it and besides they have every right to be ticked off at me."_

_"Doesn't make it right."_

_"They know me as just Kira and I like that."_

"Will you two speak common." Thorn barked completely forgetting (or not) that we were royalty. I didn't care I was used to it but father looked a bit affronted.

"Sorry. And I didn't leave her. I was sailing in Dire wolf doing recon to check for pirates or any dangers in the way. I was fine going out but I was having trouble getting back as I was sailing directly up wind. It was getting dark and I didn't want to try to sail in the dark when I could fall asleep. I beached and made camp for the night. When I woke the next morning the conditions were good so I headed back. But about mid-day the wind became bad and the seas rough I was too far from the coast and now where near were the _Serenity_ was supposed to be. I was forced to go with the wind. It normally would not push me too far off course but I had to work just to keep her up. I only used the tiller to prevent myself from capsizing. I was swept all the way to Hallasholm in that storm. Finally I lost complete control and smashed in to a rock, washed up on a beach, wandered around lost, then found you lot sailing by.

"How long were you in that storm?" Father asked.

"Two or three days"

"You stayed awake for over 48 hours?" Ulf sounded impressed.

"Barely. I had little food but thank fully I had caffeine pills."

"Caffeine pills?" Hal asked

"You know the stuff in coffee that makes you hyper?" everyone nodded

"That's caffeine and caffeine pills are basically pure caffeine in a small pill you swallow. Messes with your body if you take them too often."

"Wow."

"If you have that crown thing now then you went wearing a crown on the ship which makes no since if you are a princess." Stefan said and I was surprised he picked up on that. I walk to the cabinet and reach in pulling out four other crowns identical to mine.

"We live on the sea we make multiple crowns. It's why they are so simple if it gets taken or falls in the sea, well it's just a thin band of metal."

"Sire your meeting with the council is in five minutes."

"Yes George I will be there shortly." A small man stands at the door he bows and leaves. "Kira how would you like this done?" Father turns to me as George father's secretary leaves.

"Give us a day to get settled in then we can make an announcement. By the way what have you told the people about us?" By us I meant Aiden, Freya, and I.

"That you are most likely dead but that there is still hope. No one really listened to that last part. Come to my room to night I would like to talk more with you."

"Of course father. Everyone do you want to stay here and sleep in here we got more beds or do you want to sleep at the house?"

"No offence but I feel more comfortable in the house." Edvin said and Ingvard nodded agreement. The herons all cautiously agreed.

"Guys I don't mind if you prefer the house. I expected you would."

"oh." the boys sounded a bit more relaxed

"Let's go. It almost two in the afternoon and I want to show you around." I get up bow to my father and lead the others out they awkwardly bow and I can tell they are relived to be out of the study. "Come on first stop the kitchens."

**It may not seem like it because I forgot to post chapter 13 until I was about to post this, but I have been procrastinating and if the verb tenses changed suddenly I am sorry. I really need to write myself a note before I start a chapter on that, or get a Beta. Anyone interested? Anyway don't expect much in the way of updates till April because I have ****hell I mean**** TECH week and I go on the road for performances on the weekends so I don't know about how much I can update plus I also have my states standardized test to take which I suck at. So I do have legitimate reasons not to update. Any way I don't own Brotherband otherwise Lydia would definitely be with Stig. Also longest chapter yet! **


	15. Battle

Italics= Oreek

Kira POV

_"Come in."_ I enter and look around at the familiar room. It has not changed much.

_"What did you want to speak to me about?"_

_"Your adventures, tell me about them."_ I sit next to my father and started to tell him everything. We have a portrait of my mother in his room and i look at it as i tell the story. My mother had been killed by pirates a long time ago when I was just a baby. I wonder what she would have thought of me. I left out Hal and my nights spent together. It wasn't that I was embarrassed. I was most likely going to marry a common man but you don't really tell your father you're sleeping with a guy, even if you aren't doing anything other than sleeping.

_"Well you have had quite the journey. I think when we announce your return, this will prove you capable of the throne to the people."_ Father tells me with quiet pride. My father is a quiet man over all but commanding at the same time. I also feel a weight lifted from me. It is expected that the heir prove themselves to the people in some way and if this journey proves it, well it's one less thing for me to worry about later. I look at my mother the queen again. I have her long hair and facial features but my hair is like my fathers. I truly look like a Oreek noble.

_"How are we going to get Freya and Aiden back?"_

_"We will send a fleet to Raguza. We have had enough trouble from them and this last attack is it. It's time we deal with those pirates and I doubt anyone will mind a few less pirates in the sea. Will your friends be joining us?"_

_"Yes the pirates have something of theirs that they would very much like back."_

_"Well then tomorrow morning report for training I will give you the afternoon off to do as you like. I estimate the fleet will be ready in a week. Will your friends boat be able to keep up?"_

_"The sail construction is similar to our own designs though Hal came up with is all on his own."_

_"Impressive. If they wish to join you in training they are welcome as long as they don't distract you."_

_"Yes father. Goodnight."_ I get up, kiss his cheek and walk out and home, guards bowing or calling greeting to me as I pass though. I am Freya now so it's looser than if I was Kira.

* * *

The week passed swiftly. At dawn Hal and I would go to the boat house or training grounds and train sometimes with the herons sometimes just us. Hal learned our systems of communication and strategies for naval warfare. The other Herons trained under the sharp eyes of Thorn and Lydia practiced her aim with the new darts from the forge. At noon we would meet and have lunch before exploring the city or teaching the herons to swim. At night I would go up to the palace and talk with father. On the fourth day the city celebrated my return. Music was played in the streets and feast were set out with children running up and down the canals and people danced. Shouts of " κυρία έχει επιστρέψει!" could be heard all over the city. "κυρία?" Ulf asked once. "κυρία is how my name is pronounced in oreek. It means Lady but when I was young I changed it to Kira because I liked the sound better." Ulf nodded.

Now it is the day we leave for Raguza on Fegue. We all get on the Heron and cast off. The Heron is well stocked and ready for the four day journey to Fegue. We are the first out and so wait for the other ships. The other ships consist of four warships each carrying fifty warriors and two scout ships with ten men each. When the other ships reach us we sail as a group.

That night when we all sit eating dinner I decide to tell them the battle plan. "This is how the attack is going to go. The scout ships are going to land first and get to Freya and Aiden and get them out. Then when it's time for them to escape the warships are going to attack. You will slip in as the others slip out helping each other if needed through a bolt hole you will have twenty minutes before the warships will retreat. The andromal is in the third warehouse on the left of the bolt hole it's blue and has a red door. Get in get out don't hang around. one you are out swim out we will have ships ready to grab you."

"No one said anything about swimming!" Wulf broke in.

"We will give you water vest they will keep you afloat and you were fine on the islands this is no different." I look at him.

"What about the heron and you?" Hal asked looking at me.

"My father has banned me from the fighting. If I step one toe on that island the consequences will be bad. I will stay with the Heron and sail her round to pick you up." I let my displeasure at being held back be clear.

"You won't be able to sail Heron alone." Hal observed

"True" I said

"Anyone willing to stay?" Hal looked around. No one meets his eye..

"I could get some of the scouts to help. We could put her under oars and wait for you. That is if you don't mind other people on the Heron." I offer. I know that the herons need to prove themselves not only to the skandians but also to themselves by getting the andromal and I don't want any of them to have to stay behind.

"I don't think we have much else of a choice." I nod agreeing.

"We can get some people together and get them familiar with the boat tomorrow.

In the morning I got up disentangling myself from Hal and then nodded to Stig at the tiller. "Can you bring us closer to that ship?" I point to the warship on our port side He nods and we draw closer to her. I walk to the bulwark and signal to a crew man who nods and drops a rope over the side. There is still a five foot gap between the two ships. I back up a few feet then sprint jumping onto the bulwark and launching myself across the gap. I hear Stig and Ulf yell and everyone else wake just as I grab the rope and climb up using just my arms to drag myself up the sine of the other ship. Once I reach the bulwark I grab the crewmans offered hand and he pulls me the rest of the way over the side. I stand and wave and Stig guides the Heron away and The rest of the Herons just stare at me in shock.

I walk to the captain's cabin and find the admiral who is in charge of the operation and he bows._ "What can I do for you lady?"_

_"On the Heron we will need six rowers when the battle is going on."_

_"Only six?"_ I knew what he was thinking most wolf ships required ten and most Oreek ships needed double that. To have a boat of worth and only need six was laughable.

_"She is small and light."_

_"Fine you shall have you rowers."_

_"Could you send them over so they may get used to the heron?"_

_"Certainly."_

_"Thank you Admiral."_ I bow shallowly and he returns it before turning back to his work. I leave him to it. Sailors never like people who interrupt them when they are working on something important as his work clearly is.

I walk to the side and wave at Stig he nods and pulls closer and I sprint flying through the air over the water and land with a near silent thunk cat-like on all fours the Heron rocking as I land two feet in from the side. I straighten ignoring the shocked looks of the group as I sit down and pull foot towards me. "The Admiral will send some rowers over around noon."

"Do you always jump off boats or have you just finally lost it?"

"It's way of getting round. When we were children Freya, Aiden and I would race each other across boats and docks with the rule that you couldn't go on land or in the water. We sometime would get stuck and be carried out to sea on a ship and have to swim back."

"so always crazy then?" Jesper clarified.

We sailed uneventfully, preparing for the battle and showing the rowers how the Heron reacted when under oars. On the third night before the attack the scouts skipped away over the waves and out of sight to reach Raguza before light of day.

"We will attack at three o'clock tomorrow morning. So I suggest you all sleep." I say as I curl up with Hal trying not to think about how this could be the last night we are together. Nothing in battle is certain but I know our plan is a good one and that Hal as well as the other herons are good fighters plus the Oreek warriors will be there as well. I hate having to stay behind I feel so useless.

"But you'll be picking us up and that's good because even if they know how to swim the others won't want to swim for long." Hal murmured into my hair and I blush as I realise I had spoken aloud.

"I'd rather be fighting with you instead of waiting on the boat for you to come back." twist my head trying to see him.

"Orders are orders." he softly growls

"I know." I whisper as I feel his breath even out. I follow him soon after into a sleep full of senseless dreams that don't do anything for my nerves even though I can't remember them when I wake up.

Everyone is tense the next morning when we get up and breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all solemn affairs I can tell it is the same on the other ships as well. I know on many minds Freya and Aiden weigh heavy as well as the safety of the team sent to get them.

As the watch in Raguza changes we move into position ready to start havoc. Then a single flare is sent into the air red fire in a dark sky. The Herons have already switched with the rowers and we silently glide to the bolt hole that is the entry and exit point for both the herons and the team that was sent to get Freya and Aiden. Then I hear the sounds of wood splintering. the attack has started, I flip the hourglass and nod to the herons. They drop overboard the attack covering the sounds, and swim to shore allowing the tide to do the work. I watch as a group of people in dark clothes dart out and around the Herons and swim out confidently. _"Back oars."_ I say watching the swimmers be picked up by a scout boat. I turn back to the shore and spot archers taking aim at the swimmers having not seen the heron yet. _"Herio take the tiller."_ A young man steps up and grabs it as I unsling my bow and load an arrow. Taking my time to fall in rhythm with the ship I draw and release, loading another arrow and lining up my shot as the first arrow finds its mark in the neck of an archer, and the man topples conveniently into another man knocking the bow from his hands and sending his arrow off into his friend farther along the wall._ "Three fish with one spear."_ Herio said watching the chaos created by my arrow. I fire my next arrow into a man who had spotted us. "Bring us out of their range." I order loading another arrow. Gotta love long-range bows I think to myself as I pick my next target..

* * *

Hal POV

We run up the beach as the team sent before bolts out and fling themselves into the water. We form a wedge with Thorn in front, Stig and I at his sides and the others behind us with Lydia in the back ready to throw darts at people ahead of us or on rooftops. But there are few as everyone is focused on the warships causing mayhem in the port. "Third warehouse on the left. Blue and red." I murmur to myself. We run and I see it. "This is it" I yell pointing to it. The door is old and Ingard breaks it like it's paper. We run in and start searching frantically. How much time has passed? We must be nearing ten at least.

"Hal I think I found something! Stephan yells holding up a round bag. He opens it and nodded to me. He has it. "Let's go!" I shout and everyone runs out the door. In the time it had taken us to get the andromal half the city had either been destroyed or set on fire. I do a quick head count then yell for everyone to move. We bolt through the streets surrounded by fire and ruble. Clearly the Oreeks had a lot of problems with the citizens of Raguza. We reach the bolt hole only to find it blocked by several large pirates. We charge at them and I sink my sword into one of them. I lose track of what the others are doing but soon the pirates are gone but not without leaving some of us injured. I have a cut on my hip and Wulf or Ulf ,it is impossible to tell in this light has a cut on his face. We run and sheath our weapons swimming out into the sea. The water is warm but we are exhausted and Stephan is swimming and holding the andromal. I lean over and grab him and start pulling him so that he can just hold the andromal. Our vest are life savers as we can just float kicking without worrying about staying above water. The Heron suddenly appears out of the night to our left and at the last second turned coming up to us facing into the wind and coming to a complete still. Oreek sailing in all it's glory. "Why did she point her into the wind?" Thorn sputters trying not to drink the sea. "Makes it easier for us to climb aboard. It standard man overboard procedure." I say.

"What?" Someone calls out.

"It's what they do when people fall overboard." I say wondering if we are really having this conversation right now.

"They have a plan for that?"

"They will jump off their own boat, climb on another, capsize it, then be picked up by their boat. Laughing the whole time."

"They do that?"

"for fun apparently." I say having seen Kira and others do it in the sailing bays daily.

I climb the rope that one of the rowers tosses down and help the others up. Once everyone is on I walk to the stern and take the tiller from Kira. "You survived." She said softly

"Your plan worked there was barely anyone for us to fight. Everyone was focused on the warships. What do you people have that could destroy half a city in less than twenty minutes?"

"Highly explosive chemicals." She said with a grin.

"So are we going to go or not?" Stefan yelled holding up the andromal.

"Put that below deck and prepare to sail." I shout

"Um.. I know it's not my place to question you on this sort of thing but how are we going to get the Heron out of the wind?" Edvin spoke up while treating a twin.

"Two rowers, port forward, starboard sail raised." Kira barkes the order with no hesitation and I realize what she was doing. Already two rowers are putting in oars one one each side of the boat then with a glance at each other, the port rower heaves forward and the starboard rower backstrokes. Jesper and Ingard haul the starboard sail up and the sail fills turning the boat even more. "That's enough" Kira shouts and the rowers stop and pull in the oars. We swiftly catch up to the rest of the ships and Kira glances at me. I can see the question in her eyes as the sun just barely peeks over the horizon. "You should probably go." She grins kisses me on the cheek and runs to the edge launching her self over and onto the scout sailing beside us. A girl who could be her sister leaps up and they embrace yelling in Oreek. A boy joins them Probably her cousin Aiden. I grin seeing Kira look so happy.

On the journey back I get to know Freya who is much like Kira only more rational. Kira calls Freya her conscious that she can't ignore. And her cousin Aiden a trickster and strong warrior. They are fun and cheerful people even after all they have been through and they seem to have no awkwardness at being with us. When we arrive back in the Oreek islands victorious I can't imagine a better life.

* * *

**Hi, Sorry, Sorry, Sorry.**

**Sorry for any mistakes my Microsoft programs uninstalled themselves so I had to use Google (Nothing wrong with Google docs, I use it a lot but not for this type of stuff.)**

**Sorry for the long time wait I wrote a chapter between this one and 14 but I lost it under my bed and now it has disappeared.**

**Sorry for the crappy ending this is the second time I have written this chapter because FF logged me out when I went to submit this doc.**

**If you want me to write that chapter I lost or rewrite this chapter review or PM me otherwise I will continue and see if I can post the last chapter in the next week.**

**Olivecat**


	16. Epilogue

**Note: There are some things in this chapter that are not physically possible but that is why it's called fantasy. So don't comment on that because I know. Also still no word so I didn't have my notes on spelling of people and places to bear with me.**

* * *

Epilogue

When we arrived back at the islands we were welcomed with cheers. Kira, Freya, and Aiden were swept up and everyone was celebrating in the streets. It was like Kira's celebration only ten times as much. We stayed a week, repairing the ships and restocking for the long journey back to Skandia but we would not be alone this time. The Oreeks were coming with us. They still had a treaty to make and they wanted to make sure the people who brought back their princess returned home safely. I grinned we were going to go home after so long we were going home.

The night before we have planned to leave Kira grabs my hand. "Come on." She drags me through the mass of people. We enter the castle and Kira leads me through a maze of corridors and then we stop at a large door. She pushes it open and we enter. I stop and stare. The room is covered in maps and wood furniture which is costly in the islands. Kira pulls me onto the bed and we sit, Kira cross-legged and I perched on the edge. The bed is the softest thing in the world, but I can't place Kira in this room even though this would have been her home before she came to Skandia. the silence between us grows longer and more awkward till suddenly I slip and fall off the bed. Kira pokes her head over the edge grinning. "Smooth Hal, real smooth." We both burst out laughing and I climb back on only to slide off again because I am laughing. Finally we stop and Kira takes on a more serious face. "Hal what are we going to do?" I know what she means.

"I don't know. You can't leave and I can't leave the heron." We sit in silence trying to think of a way around the problem but we come up with nothing.

" At least it's not our last night." Kira says laying on her bed and looking up at the ceiling painted with seabirds and gods. I look at her surprised.

"I'm coming with the delegation as Kira Wavesong."

"That will shock everyone." I say with a grin.

"Yes it most definitely will." She says looking over at me with an identical grin.

* * *

Stig POV

"Where are they?!" Thorn yells pacing up and down the dock along side the Heron.

"They will come." Freya says serenely, Aiden leaning against the post she perches on.

"Yes but when? We are due to leave within the hour." The "they" was Hal and Kira who had not returned the night before,.We had packed the heron the day before and are now waiting on the skirl and lady to show up.

"Wonder where they are?" Edvin looks around.

"Probably coming now." Freya repeats for the fifth time. Lydia stands nearby on a crate looking into the crowded dock . "Here they come!" She shouts a hand shading her eyes. She is right and within a minute Kira and Hal shove their way through the crowed to us.

"Sorry we are late it was really crowded trying to get to the docks." Kira says out of breath.

"Just get on the ship." Thorn growls before climbing on board. We all look at each other before following him on board and preparing to set sail.

* * *

Hal POV

The journey to Skandia was easy the wind in our favor and no storms or pirates. we had initially sailed in the wrong direction till Kira explained how the world was round and we could just sail the other way and it would be faster than going through all the rivers again. We passed through a canal that I realised was the canal that separates Araluen from it's neighbors and I finally understood why the Oreeks made these treaties. Skandia and Araluen were the major countries with the capabilities of finding the Oreeks therefore it made sense to form treaties with us. We sail north after the canal. On the day we expect to reach Skania I stand at the helm guiding the Heron on. I glance over at Kira standing across the helm from me and she meets my eyes. "We should be in Skandia waters by noon and Hashalom by supper."

"I think we will have to work things out in the morning."

"Probably. I just hope they don"t kill us." I grin. She does have a valid point I doubt Erak will be happy to have three heavily armed, foreign ships in his port.

"You're with us so that will make them hesitate to attack and we should be able to talk things out." SHe smiles at me clearly more relaxed with an idea of what she will be facing when she arrives in Skandia again. We sail on in comfortable silence for a long time.

"Land! Land!" Comes a shout from the largest of the ships.

Kira turns to me "Hal I almost forgot When we are on land I am Freya so treat me like her."

"What?" I am so confused.

"The girl with the crown is Kira and the girl without is Freya. You have to remember that."

"Why?"

"It's like a habit and besides I have more freedom as Freya. We will switch when we start negotiations."

" Ki-Freya, is it really necessary?"

"No but we been doing it for a long time and we aren't going to change it now. Plus I want to see your mother again.

" Okay."

"It's only for a short time and more for ease of convenes for both of us than any real reason."

We stop talking as I need to focus on getting us by the cliffs I can see the other ships putting out oars and I remember what happened last time I sailed in like this. "Out oars." Stig takes up the call and starts a rhythm I guide us through surprised they have let us pass through with three foreign ships then release only the largest one has followed the others have settled for a safe distance from the cliffs. We beach and the Oreek ship drops the large weight overboard and lower a small skiff and a few people climb down. Erak and Mother stand at the front of the crowd. We descend and are surrounded by our families. Kira and Lydia standing to the side together watching. Erik approaches me and the herons as the families move away. I hold out the Andromadle to him. "We got it back and dealt with the pirates."

"I can see that. And who are your friends?" The skiff had reached the beach by now and it's occupants had disembarked. I gestured to the girl with a solemn face. "This is Kira Wavesong, Lady of the Oreek isles and Heir to the throne. " That got a few gasps and a few bows and curtsies

"No need for that." The Kira says gesturing "We are not that kind of royal." I am startled by how much she looks, sounds, and acts like Kira.

"Then the young man is Aiden Wavesong her cousin, The two girls over there is Lady Freya Silverwing and Lydia, Lydia is a girl we meet during our travels and Freya is Kira's companion." I point out Kira and Lydia.

"And what are you doing here?"

"We are here to form a treaty and make sure the herons got back safe they aided me in returning to my home and were instrumental in the destruction of a pirates nest that had been some trouble for us in the past." Now I knew The Kira was milking it. We barely did anything just get the andramal and kill a few pirates. Sure we watched the rescue party's back as they got out but that was nothing.

"Well in that case come to the hall and we shall eat. In the morning we can talk of treaties and such things. Though I don't know what you want a treaty with us for. And who you are for that matter." Erak says looking over the group.

"We come from small islands to the west of this land. You and the Arulins are the only countries capable of reaching us and we like to have peace with those who might visit."

"That makes sense." Erak says as he leads the group to the hall.

The herons and Oreeks are the least active in the festivities as we have already had celebrations in the isles but we muster up some energy though I can tell all any of us want to do is sleep. Finally we are allowed to leave and the Oreeks are shown rooms and I take Lydia to mother. "Mother, this is Lydia she needs a place to stay."

"Well she's welcome here." Mother smiled and Lydia smiled back.

"You can have a guest room."

"There's no need for that." Lydia blushed

"No no we have rooms open it's no trouble."

"Okay then." Lydia consented and Mother lead her away. I turned and when't to my room and fell asleep immediately.

The next morning I wake to a girl prodding me. "K-Freya? What are you doing?"

"It's noon and you weren't up. Kira has gotten bored already from the negotiations and she told me to poke you so that you were both suffering." To emphasize her point she poked me again.

"so you're really Freya?" She gives a sigh of long-suffering

"Yes and don't talk like that. Anyway do you want to do something because both Kira and Aidan are in the talks."

"What are they talking about?"

"Kira is trying to convince your people that it's a good idea not to look for us and attack us."

"Well that will take a long time."

"It always does." She says with a smile.

"What?"

"We keep records of the discussions and they almost always are the same."

"How so?"

"We show up and everyone is like we are being invaded! attack! then we explain things, and we all argue about why it's a bad idea to attack us, and then they want something in return, and we give them some piece of knowledge, and everyone goes home and forgets about the whole thing until there is a new Oberjarl, and then it repeats."

"That was a really long sentence." Is all I say

"It was wasn't it? Anyway you coming?"

"Coming where?"

"I don't know! What do you do around here? Got any friends you want to see again?"

'The herons are really my only real friends but I guess we could see Roland."

"The guy who's team Kira scared by passing out in their camp?"

"That's him."

"Cool let's go!" She yells bolting out of the room. I can see why she and Kira get along so well. I follow her out to see the rest of the herons standing around.

"'Bout time you got up." Stig says with a grin.

"It was a long day yesterday." I point out

"True" He nods.

We wander out and around the town for the afternoon and meet Kira and Aidan at the Main hall. Kira looks ready to punch the next person to looks at her. "Tough talks?"

"I forgot exactly how much I hate negotiations. It goes in freaking circles over and over."

I wince. "Remind me never to get into politics" Ulf mutters to Wulf who nods.

"Let's just eat." I say leading everyone into the hall.

"Don't you want to hear the results of the talks?" Kira asks

"You finished?" Freya sounded surprised

"Yup thank WS for that" Aidan says calling on his and Kira's patron goddess.

"Basically they get three warships and don't attack us as long as Erik lives."

"So pretty much the usual agreement but they want ships?"

"Yup, they recognized that the heron had some of the same things as our ships and they have seen how the Heron works. Hal I think you are going to be asked to teach people how to use the ships." I splutter they want me to teach them?

"What?" I choke

"Well you were trained to sail in the islands. it seems logical for you to teach." Aidan says.

"But I got a weeks worth of training! How is it logical?" I say as I fill my plate with food.

"You also learned a lot sailing with us on journeys. But I wouldn't worry it's going to be a year at least before we can complete the ships probably longer. On a side note there is a dance tomorrow."

"Great, another late night." I groan

"cheer up Hal" Stefan says, "at least we will understand the words to the songs!" In the islands the songs had not been in common and I was not great at understanding Oreek singing. It had been uncomfortable to say the least.

We spent the last few days as a group. The last details of the boats were being straightened out and then Kira, Freya and Aidan would be gone for at least a may never come back. On the eve before they were to leave Kira appeared in my doorway and we curled up on my bed one last time. I hesitated before saying softly in her ear "I love you." She twisted so we were face to face "Σ 'αγαπώ" I kiss her and we stay like that for a long time.

* * *

Kira Pov

"Σ 'αγαπώ" Again and again the phrase runs through my head Σ 'αγαπώ Σ 'αγαπώ Σ 'αγαπώ I love you I love you I love you, and it is so true. I do truly love Hal. I want to leap off the ship but I know I can't. The good of my people comes before my heart. And my heart is breaking as I know Hal's is. Freya stands beside me as the cliffs fade into the fog of early morning. "You'll be back in a year. Maybe he will come back with us."

"Maybe he will have found someone else. After all isn't that what all the elders say to us? That our loves are short and we move on so quickly."

"Maybe for some, but not you. The both of you went through too much not to be truly in love."

"And now I am sailing away. I'm hurting both of us by going."

"You can not abandon your people. Hal knows this."

"You're right." I conceded but still I watch as we leave the man I love on a distant coast.

* * *

**OMG I am done! This took me a long time to write and I hope it turned out well. I had midterms which I need to pass. I am considering a sequel but only if like five people show interest. Otherwise I will probably move on. I will possibly at some point expand or revise some parts of this story but for now it is finished. Good bye**

**Olivecat**

**Statistics of this Fic as of when posted**

**Chapters: 16**

**Pages (Not including A.N.): 87**

**Days from first post to last: about 100 days**

**Reviews: 6**

**Follows: 2**

**Views: 382**

**Times I wanted to murder Microsoft: 2**

**Times I wanted to murder Google: 10**

**Times I wanted to murder Fan fiction and it's proof reader: ∞**


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